No More Dead Heroes
by Seadragon
Summary: [he walks without purpose, because his purpose is dead] [dark, shonen ai]
1. Focus

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 1: Focus**

_

* * *

_

It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

"I want to be sure you understand what this title entails before I give it to you Neji-kun."

Silence.

Tsunade sighed. Stoic as usual, the Hyuuga didn't give any indication of whether he had heard her or not, much less whether he actually cared.

And there really wasn't much point trying to read _those_ eyes.

You would think she would be used to them by now, what with all of the Hyuuga clan members in the village, whether from the Main or Branch Family, some who she saw on a daily basis, some not so much, but some things are always going to be creepy, no matter what. Strangely enough, _not_, blank, smooth, emotionless white eyes were one of those things.

Thankfully, she already knew he cared, or she wouldn't have even _considered_ him for this position.

But she had to make sure he knew what he was getting himself into; he was still just a kid, they were _all_ still kids, no matter how much they may insist otherwise. This wasn't a title she went around handing out to any old shinobi after all, especially not _now_. At least she knew she could trust this particular Jounin without any fear of betrayal, unlike some of the others in her village.

The Godaime sighed again, keeping one eye on the eldest Hyuuga child as she did. She didn't think he had moved since entering her office, and she would be surprised if he did so other than to leave. His expression hadn't even changed, he just stood there, waiting for her to get it over with and tell him her decision. It wasn't like he was ignoring her either, the Jounin was listening patiently, he merely understood that him getting all dramatic wouldn't speed up the process at all.

She just wished he'd pass that knowledge onto Naruto.

And if she ever got around to actually giving him the title formally, it was this same trait that would make him such a good ANBU.

However, it was taken a little too far in this child. Yes, child. To date, she could count on one hand the times she'd seen the Hyuuga emotional. No, scratch that, she could count them on one _finger_.

It had been horrible. Obviously, he had experienced loss before; he _was_ a Hyuuga after all.

But some losses were worse than others.

And she could say without reservation that she never wanted to see someone in that condition ever again.

Unfortunately, that wasn't for her to decide.

She hated this war, she really did.

* * *

"And where do you think _you're_ going?"

Shikamaru gritted his teeth; it was much harder than he cared to admit to keep himself from turning around and snapping at his mother. And he wasn't often motivated to even do anywhere near that much, let alone to _keep_ himself from doing it.

Had she _always_ been this annoying?

Yeah, yeah she had. Just, his dad had been able to dull her words a little, making her a little calmer, a little nicer.

But he wasn't here now, was he?

"I'm going to see Neji; he was supposed to find out today if he made ANBU." Shikamaru replied, careful to keep the disdain out of his words. If it wasn't for that… incident, he would already be out of here, either living by himself or sharing an apartment with one of his friends. More likely the latter, as he really didn't have much use for it anymore, thanks to all the missions he was assigned.

But now? His mother was just too fragile.

And as much as he denied it at times, he cared about her, at least enough to make sure she was alright, and not too lonely.

"You aren't going until you finish clearing out that room like I asked." She told him from her position in the doorway, a dishtowel in one hand, a bowl in the other.

It was really tempting just to grab his stuff and walk out of here forever sometimes.

Who cares if he didn't have anywhere to go? Frankly, he didn't care if he ended up living in a box on the side of the road. _Anything_ was better than here. Except for a hole in the ground.

"He's my friend _mother_. And you know he's alone now."

He wasn't sure if it was possible for anyone to forget _that_. As much as he had tried, the sight of Hyuuga Neji on his knees, in tears, was beyond his power to erase.

"I'm alone too; you don't seem to care much about _that_. Besides, he has his cousin, the dark haired girl from the Main Family to keep him company; you don't need to waste your time with people like _him_."

She was angry now.

Shikamaru sighed. Now he was never going to get out of here. "_Of course_ I care that you're alone Mother, or I wouldn't be living here still. And no, he doesn't. Hinata-chan took some Genins and a month's worth of supplies out to one of the Jounin camps in the North Forest. She has to make sure they're well enough trained that they don't die on their first mission."

He tactfully ignored the thinly veiled jab at Neji; he didn't want to get into _that_ fight with his mother again.

Just when had life become such a hassle?

* * *

She had to have been out of her mind to agree to this.

Absolutely, without a doubt, insane.

They had only been at the Jounin camp for four days and already the five Genins she had brought with her had caused more damage than you would think possible from such little kids.

This was pathetic.

After so long with them protesting adamantly any time she called them kids, even just thinking something like that had her looking over her shoulder, making sure they weren't trying to ambush her.

Obviously, the only reason she then activated her Byakugan wasn't that she was at all afraid of the hyperactive chibis, she just needed to be on guard at all times. There was a war going on after all…

How long till she got to go home?

Hinata sighed, she should be thankful she had been given such an easy, and relatively safe, mission. She felt sorry for Kiba, who had left Konoha the same day she had, except _his_ mission was taking him so much further away, deeper and deeper into enemy territory.

And he only had two other people with him, not nine (four of them Jounins) like Hinata had. Even if the majority of hers _were _brats.

When had she gotten so cynical?

Oh. Right.

"Hinata-sensei, Hinata-sensei! Rin and Kaburo took all the smoke bombs again, even though you told them yesterday that they had to share!"

Hinata looked up from the kunai she had been twirling while she waited to watch the two girls running towards her. Instead of the usual nine that graduated out of the academy, this year fifteen had been chosen, five of which were here to train with her. The other ten had been split between Ino and Choji, both of whom had turned out to be surprisingly good with children, despite still being teenagers themselves, and Ino's nasty temper.

Who would have thought that, just five years ago now, they _were_ these children.

They had been divided into teams, teams with people with whom they would work with for a long time, and get closer too than their own families ever could. And with these people, they had risked their lives for an ideal.

But in the beginning, they had been mere children, who were weak and foolish and ignorant. Of course, that had changed more quickly for some than others.

And now, it was happening all over again.

She didn't want to think about how many of these children would be dead before the year was out.

* * *

Rock Lee was not enjoying himself in the slightest.

It was all Gai-sensei's fault too. If the Jounin hadn't decided that it was imperative for him to run off with Tenten and find the closest ANBU team before they attacked the Sound-nins on the other side of the river, Lee would not be sitting in an increasingly wet ditch, waiting for them to return.

Which would also mean he wouldn't be cursing the Jounin's name, or sneezing every couple seconds.

He groaned. This meant he was going to have to make a stop at the Konoha hospital when they got back, or he wouldn't be any good for anyone.

Lee had spent far too much time in hospitals.

He sneezed again, wiping a hand across his face with a snuffle as soon as the spots in his eyes had cleared.

Why on earth did they need the stupid ANBU anyway? There were only five enemies in the camp, all only at Chuunin level, and they didn't even know they were here. Or _had_ been here anyway. Now it was just Lee.

Lucky him.

Of course, it didn't pay to make careless mistakes in this business.

They had learned that lesson the hard way.

Great, now he was sitting in a ditch, getting soaked to the bone, all by his lonesome, and he had just succeeded in making himself depressed to top it all off.

This really was not his day.

Of course, if Neji hadn't been too busy trying to join the ranks of the _elite_ (Lee wasn't too fond of the ANBU), he would have been here sitting in the ditch with him.

Not that he had anything against Neji or anything.

Frankly, the Jounin had suffered more than his fair share since this damn war started.

Maybe there wasn't all that much weight in the saying "fortune favors the brave". Some of the bravest people he knew had lost everything they had and then some things they didn't even know they had.

Or had had.

Lee couldn't wait for the day they could finally say that the war was over.

It couldn't come a day to soon in his opinion.

Of course, maybe that was why Neji was a Jounin and he was still only a Chuunin.

* * *

Sometimes Shino wondered if this little garden of his was the only peaceful place left in the world.

It certainly felt that way sometimes.

He was reluctant even to venture outside of his house unless to train or go on a mission; he hated to see the fear that had taken hold of the villagers. But lately, he couldn't even count on the privacy of his own house to shelter him from the emotions that were running wild in Konoha. Still, he holed up here until Tsunade sent her messengers for him.

Which she did every time he returned, often with only a day's rest in between, without fail.

But he couldn't blame the Godaime even a bit. It just wasn't her fault that the world wasn't the peaceful place it had been a few years ago.

Shino sighed, glancing around his little garden despondently. This was his first time home in over a month, and he couldn't even count on the one person he had wanted to see most actually being here at the same time. From what he had managed to gather from the guard who had assisted him back here, the Inuzuka had been sent out a mere few days ago.

Even that was iffy though; the guard had been speaking rather quickly, thus stumbling over more than a few words. He had known better than to stick around for long after this admission too.

Apparently the Chuunin got this job a lot; telling people that their loved ones wouldn't be home for a while now.

Really he should be thankful he wasn't saddled with the job of telling people that their loved ones wouldn't _ever_ be coming home.

Tsunade-sama probably had a list with all her shinobi's family members and important people on it, just in case the worst should happen.

Which it did, on a daily basis, no less.

Like clockwork.

That really told people everything they needed to know about Konoha, and how it was slowly crumbling, now didn't it?

And even here, in the scrub of land he called a garden; the same chaos that had torn apart the village was starting to take root. There were weeds choking out all the flowers, and his precious bugs were being driven away by wild animals and dog urine. The grass had been shredded beyond recognition and little clumps of dirt had been torn out of the ground.

It would have been more depressing if he actually still had the time to visit it more than once a month, when he was lucky.

And Shino, one arm held out for any bug that so desired to land on, tried not to focus too hard on the dark windows behind him.

**

* * *

a/n: I'll try to update soon, and I'll give someone a cookie if they can tell me what/who Neji lost. Bet you can't. Anyway, I'm trying to keep them in character, but it just didn't work with Hinata. Sorry?**


	2. Inquiry

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 2: Inquiry

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

"Is there no way Hokage-sama?" Shino wasn't usually one to question the Godaime's word, but even he could make an exception in extreme circumstances.

And if this wasn't extreme he want didn't know what was.

"No, I'm sorry Shino-kun. I know this is the fourth time in a row you have missed each other by a few days, but you know I don't have any choice, don't you? I needed someone with tracking skills in that party, and he was the only one available." It was times like these that Tsunade hated her job with a passion.

Her heart broke for these teenagers, trying to find their place in this world, but never being given the time to start. This unlikely pair, quiet, reserved Shino and loud, raucous Kiba, weren't the only ones to suffer this way.

And she couldn't even send the Chuunin in front of her off to join the team his boyfriend was on, because she had to send him in the opposite direction to scout out a possible Jounin camp area with just one other shinobi.

Damn it, they were stretched too thin!

Short of sending off the Genins alone, or dividing her fighters down the middle, there wasn't anything she could do about it either.

And she hesitated to ask for assistance from the Sand.

Not only had they recently lost their Kazekage, but their fighting force hadn't been as large to begin with. To take fighters from them would be like cutting her own throat.

How she wished she could tell the teenaged Chuunin that she would have someone else take his place on his mission, but there was no one else.

Kakashi, Genma, Naruto, and Shizune, the sole all Jounin team left, were fighting back Sound-nin at the Western Border. Hinata, Ino, and Choji had each taken five of the newest Genins to train at the ill-named Jounin camps (each camp, if they were lucky, had two Jounins at most, some had none). Kiba, Iruka, and another academy sensei were chasing a thief from the Hidden Mist, who had decided just over a month ago that they would rather ally themselves with Orochimaru and his puppets than Konoha, which, as much as she hated to admit it, was slowly being crushed.

Asuma, Kurenai, and six of the older Genins, no less than two years out of the academy, were patrolling the inside of Konoha's territory, making sure there weren't any pockets of enemy shinobi out there that she, as Hokage, didn't know about. Ibiki and his squad were, uh, _questioning_ the enemy Mist shinobi they had already managed to capture, as well as one or two Sound-nin, but none of them had much hope for them, Orochimaru didn't like it when his subordinates knew too much. Anko had taken two teams of ANBU and was preparing them to attack the Sound, an attack that would take place once Kakashi and his team worked their way towards the ex-Orochimaru supporter.

Gai, Rock Lee, and Tenten were out on border patrol, picking off any stragglers. Neji, Sakura, and Shikamaru were in the village until the day after tomorrow at the latest, when Sakura would join Shino in scouting out the camp area, which, although the Aburame didn't know it, he would be commanding once he was formally given his promotion, and the camp was built, which wouldn't take long at all. And Shikamaru and Neji were going into the Hidden Mist territory, to try and learn something about their military capabilities.

Even as she ran through these lists in her head, Shino was standing there with a passive expression on his face.

But Tsunade had not become the Godaime by being unobservant.

She would have to make sure Sakura kept an eye on the young Chuunin.

* * *

Tenten was breathing heavily when she finally caught up with Gai-sensei, who had apparently forgotten that she was not Lee, and could not run faster than the speed of sound.

She blinked, okay, probably not the best comparison given the situation, but she was tired thank you very much. She, Lee, and Gai-sensei had been working their way along the border for a month and a half now, picking off any enemy shinobi that had decided to set up camp either close to, or on the wrong side of it.

They had been doing pretty well for themselves if you asked her, and had beaten their last trip time by two weeks already.

What she wouldn't give to see civilization again, or at least a real toilet; they hadn't even stopped at a Jounin camp, with all their fancy outhouses and other such luxuries.

She had eaten so much fish she was honestly surprised that she hadn't started growing scales, or at least a bit of a tail.

But they had been working hard, and had managed to either kill of the enemies they encountered, or ship them back to Konoha with an ANBU or two to be questioned by Ibiki and his men and women.

Death was probably more humane.

And now Gai decided that they needed ANBU help to take out five inexperienced Sound scum. The Jounin had to be out of his mind, there just wasn't any other reasonable explanation.

Maybe this was a good indication that they needed a break.

They had only known that they should also keep Mist-nins out of Fire Country when an ANBU they had been working with had made a passing comment about the village. A rather ample amount of confusion and argument had followed, with both Lee and herself insisting, rather foolishly now that she looked back on the moment, that the Hidden Mist had no reason to attack them.

She didn't want to know how many Mist shinobi had slipped in because of their ignorance.

Tenten sighed; it really wasn't doing her any good to be thinking about all of this stuff, she ought to focus on how they were going to fight the Sound-nins without being left nearly completely deaf. She unconsciously brought one hand up to her right ear protectively. Last time they had quite nearly gotten in a crippling blow.

Thanks only to Lee's swift reaction time she hadn't been left permanently deaf, but her balance _had_ been off for three or so days.

Which had proved almost fatal in it's self, considering how much she relied on her throwing weapons. It was thanks again to Lee that she wasn't lying dead in a ditch somewhere.

Speaking of which, was it really a good idea to leave someone who relied solely on their physical strength to keep them safe sitting half conscious in a ditch that close to the enemy?

* * *

"Neji-kun! Hey, Neji!" Shikamaru could feel the villagers' heads turning to follow his voice, watching with him as the Hyuuga walked down the street.

If any of them knew how out of character it was for _him_, Konoha's number one laziest ninja, to be yelling, they didn't say anything.

Neji didn't speed up, or even appear to notice his fellow Jounin at all. He just kept walking, his eyes on the dirt road, even more blank looking than usual, something that was difficult to achieve.

To say the Hyuuga hadn't been the same since that incident was an understatement of the most severe kind, bordering on an insult.

Not to say that Neji had been outgoing and bubbly before, but now? It was like he was just a puppet, with someone behind the scenes that none of them could see pulling the strings.

Seeing the mask in the boy's hand, Shikamaru realized his question was pointless. He had to wonder though, if the Godaime had known when she had given that to the Hyuuga just what his motives for being an ANBU were?

She had to have, they weren't exactly expertly hidden, and Tsunade was known for her observation skills. But, if that was the case, and she _knew_ that he had become much like Sasuke, a shinobi living only for revenge, then _why_ had she given him that title?

For all his genius, Shikamaru couldn't even begin to guess at the Sannin's reasoning.

Strangely enough, the Jounin didn't even have to hold out an arm to stop his seemingly comatose friend in his tracks, the ANBU instead met him halfway, coming to a halt no more than a few feet away from him.

"We're going into the Hidden Mist tomorrow. Hokage-sama wants us to investigate their military power." Neji said, lifting his head just enough to look Shikamaru in the eye. "Make sure you're ready to leave at eight tomorrow morning."

Shikamaru stared at him for a second, dumbstruck at this announcement. "Hang on, I only got back the day before yesterday, from a three week long mission, I can't leave my mother yet! She's already angry with me for coming out to meet…" He trailed off; it probably wasn't a good idea to tell Neji his mother's feelings concerning the Hyuuga, not if he wanted to get home in time to pack. Speaking of which… "How do you expect me to be ready by _then_!"

The ANBU shrugged. "I didn't assign the mission, talk to the Godaime if you have any complaints, but I doubt she'll listen. She did say to tell you she was sorry though; she seems to be saying that a lot lately."

Shikamaru sighed. Only to you Neji, only to you. In the past four months he had been on eight missions, a few only lasting a week or so, but most taking him at least three weeks. And in between all this, he had only been home for a week, total. Although, considering what he had left to come home to, he ought to be thankful… He sighed again. "No, no, I'll be ready. Meet me at my house at 7:45?"

"Whatever."

Shikamaru shook his head as he watched the ANBU walk away. Okay, on reflection, maybe that hadn't been his greatest idea to date; his mother was _not_ going to be thrilled.

* * *

Genma sighed, flicking his senbon over to the other side of his mouth as he did so.

He, Kakashi, Shizune, and Naruto had been out here driving enemy shinobi away from the Western Border of the Fire Country for at least a month now, and still had to help launch an attack on the Sound village before they could go home again.

But now they were stuck here, waiting here for the enemy to move, in a small clearing near the border, and had been for three days already. He was quite close to going stir crazy if he saw just one more squirrel.

Either they hadn't been noticed yet, which would just be pathetic on the enemy's part, or they were planning an ambush, which did _not_ bode well for them at all.

Add in the fact that they were seriously outnumbered, their medic was out of commission for the time being, and their Sharingan user was tired to the point of being almost completely unable to move, save for breathing, and even that was starting to look painful, and they were in a lot of trouble.

They couldn't try and sneak past the other ninjas, because they were completely surrounded in all directions. Fortunately, the teams were far enough away that they didn't have to be afraid of stumbling onto one of their camps if they went for a short walk.

Of course, maybe it would be better just to get it over with.

The senbon twitched. He could not believe he had just thought that.

What kind of coward was he?

As long as he and Naruto could still move and mold chakra, they had a chance, at least of being able to grab the other two Jounins and run for their lives, if not of being able to actually fight and if not win, do serious damage, and _then_ make a run for it.

Reconnaissance on the first day that they had realized they were surrounded had told them that the shinobi around them were largely unremarkable, and all at a Chuunin level.

Genma would like to think that they could take a couple of Chuunins.

He just wouldn't think about what would happen if they couldn't; being a defeatist wouldn't get them anywhere, except for maybe dead. And none of them could afford that, especially considering they had the second strongest medic-nin in Konoha in their care, not to mention the village's sole Sharingan user.

But he wouldn't be reminding Naruto of that before they fought.

To say that would be counter-productive was an understatement.

A clinically depressed Jounin wouldn't do any of them any good.

* * *

**a/n:** Hey again! About the same length as last time, hopefully will get longer in the future… Anyway, sorry for not putting the warning on last time, but you'll notice I've added it, along with a few other warnings. Actually, the rating may go up eventually, as I seem to enjoy torturing the poor characters, which, obviously, I do not own (just covering there)… Hope no one was too offended last time, and sorry again for forgetting. I'm just stupid like that I guess.

**Grummur**: Sorry again! I'll try to keep the writing decent… And the characters in-character… Fingers crossed! And nope, you're wrong.

**Miako**: Thanks! And hopefully I'll get to it eventually, or you may have figured it out from this chapter… -shrugs- Either way.

**SNA**: Sorry, nope! That's not it either –grins-. Thanks, and I'll try a little harder with Hinata next time she shows up…


	3. Desperation

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 3: Desperation

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

Haruno Sakura had opened her door fairly quickly when she heard the knocking; everyone did nowadays, even if they were scared to see what lay on the other side. She hadn't been surprised to see Shino standing there, mission summons in one hand; by now it was a familiar sight, if not Shino, then another Konoha shinobi, wearing an equally grim face.

She noticed the unbroken seal on the scroll immediately, and wondered what Tsunade-sama wanted to keep hidden from the Aburame. She was so involved in this train of thought she didn't notice that the Chuunin's hands shook as he handed her the scroll.

Too bad, it probably would have clued her in that something was wrong.

As it was, she didn't notice until after she felt the sharp pain of a bug bite, followed by the sickly feeling of poison invading her bloodstream.

The dark haired shinobi had already gone by the time she thought to look up, leaving her leaning against her doorway, breathing heavily, and struggling to open the Godaime's scroll before she lost consciousness.

Cursing her fumbling fingers, Sakura finally managed to get a purchase on a corner, and ripped through the seal with difficulty.

It had to be important, or sensitive, or else Tsunade-sama wouldn't have bothered to seal it. It would probably also give her an idea of why there was currently poison working it's way towards her vitals, something she would really like to be in the know about.

Finally managing to unroll the stubborn thing, Sakura started reading, gasping in air frantically in an attempt to stay awake long enough to finish.

First she had to work her way through the mission details, nothing special or even note worthy. All they had to do was scout out a forest for a good location for a new Jounin camp (which either meant the Godaime would be promoting some Chuunins soon, as they were flat out of Jounins, or the camp was going to be a trap. It was most likely the first, considering how far from Konoha it was going to be).

She scowled at the paper in frustration, couldn't Tsunade-sama have been nice and put the important information at the top, where it would have been nice and easy to find and then read, even when poisoned (she was going to murder Shino if she ever got her hands on him, she had always had him pegged for a polite, if a bit quiet, boy. So much for _that_,huh?)?

Hang on a second, here it was.

"Sakura-chan, please keep an eye on Shino while on this mission. I fear he may do something drastic to get out of it, as he has already requested to be sent after the Chuunin team I sent out to catch that thief that was here from the Hidden Mist last week. As you may or may not be aware of, Inuzuka Kiba was placed on that team because of his superior tracking skills, making this the fourth time in as many months the two have missed each other by mere days. Obviously, there is no way to know for sure what he will do, or even if he will attempt anything at all, but keep a close eye on him for me. –Tsunade."

Sakura closed her eyes for a second. "Thanks a lot Tsunade-sama. I got your message just in time to be poisoned. I really think we need to work on your ti-…"

Her head slumped forward, the poison finally taking affect, and Sakura slid down the doorframe with a soft thump.

* * *

There was a war going on outside her office doors and all she could do was paper work.

That was not the point of being Hokage.

Or any ninja, of any level, for that matter.

Maybe she could pay Kotetsu and Izumo to do it for her…

Unfortunately, that was not the point of being Hokage either.

Tsunade sighed, this really wasn't fair. She had all this power, basically in the palm of her hand, but when push came to shove, she was stuck sitting in her office, watching her villagers die.

Of course, she occasionally got out to the Konoha Hospital where, in her opinion, she did infinitely more good, considering the lives she was saving.

Unfortunately, not all of the shinobi she healed would agree with her.

Especially not the enemy that they had captured who just needed to be fixed up before they were sent off to Ibiki.

The Godaime tapped her pen against the edge of her desk restlessly. She wondered what the advisors would say if she told them she wanted to lead a team… Ha, that was a joke. They would probably put her under constant ANBU watch, whether they could spare them or not, and/or chain her to her chair.

Of course, they had one more ANBU member now.

She couldn't help but wonder if that had been a mistake.

Sure, the Hyuuga wasn't emotional, but he was depressed, anyone could see that. And when shinobi got depressed, they got careless. Reckless even.

She didn't want a repeat of _that_ incident.

Hopefully Shikamaru would be able to keep him in line; he usually had a calming affect on people. Unless, of course, their name was Naruto. _No one_ had a calming affect on _that_ idiot.

Tsunade wondered if Sakura had gotten the mission scroll from Shino yet, she had sent him off at least an hour ago now. Of course, it was getting late, and as they weren't due to leave for another day, he might have decided to wait until morning to visit the kunoichi.

The Godaime riffled through the list she kept on the top right hand corner of her desk, just in case. Sakura was on the fourth page. Actually, it was possible Shino had gone tonight after all, it wasn't like the girl would be doing anything; Lee, Ino, and Naruto were all on missions.

Come to think of it, the village was going to be rather empty for the next few days, until the next wave of people started returning.

They would probably only get a few days of rest before she had another job for them.

And some of them wouldn't come back at all…

Tsunade sighed. Maybe it was time for her to take a leaf out of Naruto's book and make good use of the Kage Bunshin…

She really wasn't cut out for this job.

* * *

There was something wrong with this picture.

Iruka paused for a moment, under the guise of catching his breath. It wasn't all that hard to believe, they had been running non stop for quite a while now. Of course, they were in hot pursuit of a thief…

Maybe 'hot' was the wrong word.

Not even Akamaru had caught so much as a whiff of the Hidden Mist shinobi since around noon.

But that wasn't the problem.

Not even close.

Hadn't Daiki's shuriken pouch been on the other leg last time they stopped for a break?

Iruka narrowed his eyes, trying valiantly to remember. Apparently all those years teaching at the academy had dulled his senses, which didn't make sense considering how often he had to be on the look out for cheaters and bullies.

Somehow not quite on the same level as thieves and murderers…

The ex-teacher sighed. What he wouldn't give to be back in his classroom right now. But no, the Hokage had subpoenaed him for this mission on account of his knowledge of the Hidden Mist and its fighters.

Why couldn't he have been born stupid and ignorant?

Oh right, because that would mean he would have already been on the battlefield, probably as soon as this war had started.

But back to the problem at hand.

They had last stopped around seven o'clock, and if the quickly setting sun was anything to judge by, it was around eight now. Which meant that the real Daiki was somewhere about ten or more miles back.

If he was still alive.

Considering, that wasn't very likely.

Iruka wracked his brain. He couldn't remember Tsunade-sama telling them about any enemies in this particular area, but by now that information was almost entirely worthless.

He hadn't _seen_ anyone else, but that didn't mean much at all.

He hated this, he really did. He had _known_ Daiki; he had been a fellow teacher at the Ninja Academy. He had had a family, a wife even. No children that he knew of, but a lot of friends, and most of the students adored him.

Thank god they hadn't gone after Kiba though.

He would not want to be the one to try and explain _that_ to Shino.

* * *

Kakashi wanted to rip that senbon out of the other Jounin's mouth and just break it into tiny pieces.

Then stomp on it.

And maybe bury it, just in case.

If Genma clicked it between his teeth just one more time, he was going to have to face the consequences.

Once Kakashi could move again that is…

Damn this Sharingan and its side affects. The Uchihas didn't know how lucky they were. Kakashi blinked; either that clacking noise was getting to him more than he thought, or it was about time for him to have a nice long rest back in Konoha, preferably under the watchful eyes of the doctors and nurses still left at the hospital.

He groaned; if they ever managed to get out of the somewhat sticky situation they were in now, they still had to help Anko and some ANBU lay siege on the Hidden Sound. That was going to be interesting with him in this condition and Shizune practically incapacitated.

Tsunade was going to kill them when they got back.

Click…

Click…

Clack…

Kakashi squeezed his normal eye shut, trying to ignore the noise of the needle scraping against Genma's teeth.

Clack…

Click…

"Do you mind?" He growled, not even bothering to sit up. "Some of us are trying to rest here."

The other Jounin just stared at him.

Click…

Kakashi pulled himself up, bracing himself against the tree trunk with a shaky hand. He winced as his knees straightened; he had really over done it this time. It was a good thing Naruto was out keeping watch, or he'd never hear the end of it.

It took more willpower than he cared to admit not to just slide back to the ground.

To his credit he made it almost halfway across the clearing to the brunette before he gave in to his body's demands and just let his knees buckle.

Genma was at his side holding him up before Kakashi even had time to realize what had happened.

Thank god for fast reflexes.

* * *

"No no, we'll be able to take any survivors back to Konoha ourselves, this is our last fight, and then we're heading there." Gai assured the ANBU captain hastily. "We'll be fine with that, it's myself and two Chuunins, it's just that I think we may need some help, considering they've probably got all sorts of traps set up."

Really, if they had taken them on them selves they most likely would have won, but Tsunade-sama would have his head if he pushed Lee any harder than absolutely necessary. Even now, four years later, the genius of hard work's body still carried the scars from his fight with Gaara of the Sand.

At least the Kazekage had apologized profusely to Lee before he had gone and gotten himself killed.

Lee was less likely to forgive Gaara for that than for potentially crippling him.

What a twisted place this world had become.

The ANBU captain, dressed in the customary robe (black) and mask (boar, so far as he could tell), appeared to be considering his request. He wasn't quite sure what the big deal was, it would take them three hours tops to get there, help them dispose of the enemy, and return here.

It wasn't like he was even asking for a whole team, just one, maybe two, to help them make this fight go a little faster.

Besides, the ANBU were just sitting here, waiting for a messenger from the Godaime to give them their next set of orders, and there were two whole teams to boot.

He had to wonder if Lee had the right idea about the ANBU…

"If possible it would be nice if you speed up your decision making process, one of my Chuunins is sitting in a ditch about a mile away from the enemy camp, and it's probably not a good idea to leave him there much longer…"

The ANBU ignored him.

Or, at least, he thought he did. It was hard to tell with that damn mask covering his face.

"Alright, I'll send two back with you, but they are only to help you and your team dispose of the Sound-nins, then come directly back here, not help you with transportation of any prisoners." The ANBU finally said, as though he was doing Gai a great favor.

The Jounin scowled, hadn't they already been over this part already? He knew the shinobi had been ignoring him. "Fine, fine, could we go now though? I'd like to get this over with before dark…"

The boar mask bobbed once, in what Gai decided was a nod. "I'll go get them. Wait here."

Gai rolled his eyes, just where else was he going to go exactly?

* * *

**a/n: **Hopefully no one is too out of character, and I didn't make any glaring mistake, but I guess you guys will all just have to review and let me know wont you? –grins- I'll try to update again tomorrow, but I have to baby sit –sigh- so I might just post Chapter 4 on Saturday along with Chapter 5.

**Night-Owl123**: Soon enough for you?

**AvaStar**: Yay! You finally reviewed! –glomps- Now, there are two more for you to do the same for… And thanks!


	4. Perseverance

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 4: Perseverance

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

When Tenten and Gai returned with not one but two ANBU members, Rock Lee considered drowning himself in the puddle he was sitting in.

Only upon realizing that could be considered slightly counter productive in some societies did he decide that it wasn't exactly an advisable course of action.

But that didn't mean he had to like working with these "elite" shinobi.

He was probably just as good as them.

Just because he was still only a Chuunin…

Damn ANBU.

Lee sighed; he hated how bitter this war had made him, but it was hard to stay eternally cheerful and optimistic when he saw the strongest people he knew being crushed one by one.

If people like Neji could be broken by war, what was going to stop it from doing the same to him?

Sure, he had dealt with emotional anguish before, but that didn't mean he was immune to it now.

Maybe, just maybe, if he outperformed the ANBU members now, Tsunade would promote him as well.

And maybe, just maybe, if that happened, he wouldn't just be a footnote in history.

When Gai introduced him to the two ANBU, Lee just nodded stiffly, causing Tenten to give him a worried look when their teacher wasn't looking.

For some reason, Lee couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye.

Maybe it was because he _knew_ he was being petty.

"Lee-kun? Lee-kun, are you listening to Gai-sensei?" Tenten asked, nudging the dark haired boy with her elbow when he didn't respond. "You need to know what we're doing Lee, you can't just charge in there like Naruto would. The ANBU have a plan."

Lee clenched one fist tightly before nodding. "I'm sorry Gai-sensei, I was just… thinking. I will pay more attention now."

One of the ANBU, wearing a white coat and a dog mask, glanced at the Jounin leader, who nodded, before explaining.

"There are five enemy shinobi, all at Chuunin level. They have presumably been in this camp for at least a week, possibly far longer, considering the last patrol that came out this far left over a month ago. As all five are from the village of the Hidden Sound, we can assume that some of their jutsus involve the manipulation of sound in one way or another. To avoid having our eardrums burst, which Gai-san tells me almost happened to you a few times already, we will all go in wearing earplugs. Gai-san also tells me that Tenten-chan specializes in throwing weapons, while Lee-kun uses only taijutsu.

"Of course, we have to take into account Lee-kun's injuries, and Tenten-chan's previous damage to her inner ear, which will not only throw off her balance and thus her ability to throw shuriken and other weapons, but make her more susceptible to their attacks."

Lee had a pretty good idea where this was going.

"So Gai-san, Midori-chan, and I decided that you two will wait here until we take care of the Sound-nins."

* * *

"Kaburo, I told you just yesterday that you and Rin cannot horde the smoke bombs, you have to share them with the girls and Takumi. Remember, one of the things you five are here to learn is team work." Hinata was getting exasperated; the five Genins just refused to listen to a word she said.

They had been sweet enough for the first day, but after that?

The only thing they would be good for in battle at this rate was annoying the enemy once they were taken prisoner.

Then again, that was why she was here wasn't it?

"Once the month is over I'm going to take you back to Konoha, and you will be placed into three man teams. The work you do with them is going to make this feel like summer camp."

"Hinata-sensei?" The quietest of the five, the boy Takumi, raised his hand shyly. When she nodded he continued, speaking so softly that she had to lean in to hear him properly. As nice as it was to be able to see in 360 degrees, supersonic hearing would have helped a lot. "How will the teams be chosen?"

The other four Genins immediately fell silent.

Hinata sighed; of course, the moment she stumbled across a topic they were interested in, they were quiet as mice.

"The other two Chuunin teachers and myself will compare notes on your performance this month, and we will pair you up so that all five teams are approximately equal in their overall strength." Hinata told them, and, sensing a long discussion, slid a kunai out of one of her holsters and started twirling it absentmindedly.

"Will we have Jounin teachers, or more Chuunins? Because my dad told me that Hokage-sama hasn't promoted enough Chuunins this year to make up for all the deaths in the Jounin ranks, and that unless she starts making better choices Konoha is going to-"

Hinata flinched.

Talk about straight to the point.

She interrupted before Kohaku could finish and scare the others. Besides, it wasn't really a subject she was comfortable with.

"You will have Chuunin teachers. Jounins cannot be spared now, as they are needed on the battlefield to stop the enemy from advancing. They can't be bothered with the care of three rookies as well. I will be one of the teachers, as well as Ino-sensei, Choji-sensei, Nanashi-sensei, and Jirosa-sensei. And if one of us gets promoted,"

Which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, but they didn't need to know that.

"Then another Chuunin will take over so that the Jounin can take the higher level missions."

They definitely didn't need to know that Konoha was running out of Chuunins just as fast as they were Jounins.

* * *

Shikamaru shivered as a cold wind blew threw the streets of Konoha, driving what villagers had still been outside back into their houses for the night. This vest just didn't cover enough skin at all, he would have to remember to take a heavier jacket with him tomorrow, or he would freeze before they were even out of sight of the village watch towers.

Which reminded him that he really shouldn't be dawdling out in the empty streets, but back at his house, attempting to explain things to his mother while he packed. Shikamaru sighed; this was not going to be fun at all, she was already mad enough that he had gone out to met Neji, him going on a mission with the ANBU probably wouldn't make her day.

He really couldn't understand why his mother didn't like the Hyuuga; he was practically a model citizen. Well, when he was here anyway.

Blowing on his hands to try and warm them, Shikamaru wondered why it was so urgent that they find out how much better equipped with fighters the Hidden Mist was that they had to leave tomorrow. Which meant he would have to wake up _early_. Like five o'clock early.

It wouldn't even be light out then. Well, it wouldn't be too bad in the village with the street lights, but it would be pitch black until the sun rose, not to mention incredibly cold and windy once they were outside of the gates.

Then he really would be on his own with the brooding Hyuuga.

Maybe he would be better off freezing.

He and Neji were friends; at least they had been when the ANBU still spoke. Now their conversations were filled with awkward silences and he couldn't count on his traitorous mouth not to trip on a word or two here and there.

Neji really had changed since _that_ incident.

And Shikamaru knew he wasn't the only one who missed the old Neji. All of their friends were worried about the Hyuuga, and if he would ever snap out of it. And despite what her actions might lead one to believe, Tsunade had to be too. He expected that Neji had gotten a full blown lecture from the Godaime before she had admitted him into the ranks of the ANBU, something that may not have been advisable, but was too late to change now, if that tattoo on the Hyuuga's shoulder was anything to judge by.

Everyone knew depressed shinobi weren't quite as cautious as they should be.

And Neji couldn't afford not to be cautious, not when he relied so much on the Byakugan. Despite Gai-sensei's warnings of what sort of repercussions that could have in the future, Neji hadn't worked at all to broaden his skill base. If anything, he had started to rely even more on the Byakugan. Shikamaru knew Gai hadn't been too pleased that his advice had been ignored, but there wasn't much any of them could do to argue with the Hyuuga, who seemed to have inherited his father's stubbornness.

Unfortunately, if an enemy should ever notice his weak spot, he was in a lot of trouble. That had already been proven to them, and if it hadn't been for Tsunade and her skill as a medic, well, who knows what might have happened?

Shikamaru hadn't forgotten what had happened four years ago, and he doubted Neji had either. Even though they hadn't really been friends back then, he had come far too close to losing the Hyuuga…

The Jounin stopped dead in the street.

Well fuck.

* * *

"Kakashi?"

Nothing.

"If you open your eyes in the next thirty seconds I'll throw away my senbon."

Still nothing.

"Y'know, I have the latest volume of Icha Icha Paradise in my pocket…"

Not even a twitch. Something was seriously wrong.

It had to be, everyone knew Kakashi couldn't resist his dirty novels. Rumor had it that he had once camped out for a week in front of a store, scaring off all their other customers until they agreed to start carrying the series.

He would never let a little thing like being unconscious get between him and one of those books.

Genma sighed; looks like he was stuck with _two_ comatose Jounins then. Well, as long as he found a way to get Kakashi off him before Naruto got back, everything would be just peachy.

If not…

He shivered; he didn't even want to think about that.

That kid had had just the worst luck with teachers. First Kakashi, then Jiraiya? It was really a miracle he hadn't been turned into a pervert yet.

Of course, with those two as his teachers, it was only natural that he assume the worst in any situation that was less than totally and completely innocent.

Having an unconscious shinobi sprawled across you was not one such situation.

Where was Naruto anyway? He should have been back a while ago now, but Genma couldn't exactly go and look for him. He hoped the blond hadn't run into any trouble, because he would not do the sensible thing and retreat; oh no, he would prefer to take on ten Sannin level opponents than run away from a fight.

What had Uchiha called him?

Oh right, dobe.

Y'know, that boy had really been onto something there.

Before he went evil and all that is.

Genma sighed again; he was really starting to get worried here. Naruto was supposed to have been back at least an hour ago, and they were going to switch so that Genma wouldn't go stir crazy sitting in one place for so long. Of course, Naruto didn't need to know that he had been the one driving Kakashi insane.

Which reminded him that it was entirely his fault that he currently had an unconscious Jounin in his lap.

Who was getting heavier by the second.

Well what do you know, even in the middle of a _war_ his luck could always take a turn for the worse.

* * *

What had he done?

What had he been thinking?

Well, obviously, he hadn't been.

Shino wrapped his arms around his torso, trying to stop the shaking. He was standing under the cover of a shop roof, unable to keep going while he was this disturbed; the rain just made it even less inviting.

He had just poisoned Sakura. Poisoned her. He had no way of knowing how her body would react to that bite, no way of knowing if she would even still be alive when her parents found her.

Was this what war did to people?

Or was it just him?

The Chuunin dug his nails into his jacket sleeves, his whole body quivering now. He leaned back against the wall, just in case his knees decided they didn't want to hold him up anymore.

He wouldn't blame them.

He was going to be hunted wasn't he?

Shino ducked his head further down into his jacket, hiding from… What? What was he hiding from?

Soon, the sirens would go off, and the village would go into a lockdown. Because of him. The siren system had been one he readily approved of, along with almost all of the village. It was designed so that as soon as anyone found the village's security to be compromised, the sirens would go off, alerting the rest of Konoha of the danger, sending them running into their houses.

He just couldn't handle this anymore. The only proof he had that Kiba was still alive was that Tsunade kept sending him out on increasingly dangerous missions.

Okay, that wasn't fair and he knew it. Kiba, like him, was a Chuunin, and damn good one. They had worked equally hard to get to where they were today, and he shouldn't be so worried about the Inuzuka; Tsunade wouldn't ever send one of her shinobi out on a mission she didn't think they could handle.

But some how this had progressed to the point that he had decided that the only reasonable thing to do was poison Sakura, a fellow Chuunin, not to mention a friend.

She could already be dead for all that he knew.

It was kind of hard to care.

He was more worried about himself and how being labeled a missing-nin would make it more difficult for him to catch up with Iruka, Daiki, and Kiba. Not only would he have to run double time, without breaks, and avoid being detected by enemy ninja from both the Sound and the Mist, but he would have to hide from his allies, people he had worked and lived with all his life.

All this would make it almost impossible for him to find Kiba.

Again, this made it kind of hard to care what happened to Sakura.

And that was what scared him.

* * *

**a/n**: Well I managed to get it up for today despite having to deal with a screwy internet connection… Stupid internet. Anyway, I hope I did better on Hinata this time but I still haven't got her nailed. Hopefully by now a few things are clearer? Or maybe not… -shrugs- I dunno, I'm just the author! Chapter Five is currently in the works, but it won't be done until tomorrow at least because of the damn internet (which wouldn't matter, but as I have no way to get it to my laptop… Yeah, you do the math). I'll try my hardest to have it up on time tomorrow. Oh, and please review! Reviews make the author very happy, which Ali, you can testify to…

_EDIT_: Well, it's working now! Happiness…

**AvaStar**: Yay! You reviewed again! –glomps- And of course I'll keep writing! Silly Ali… -shakes head- And I know, it's fun poisoning Sakura… I will try not to be too evil to her in the future though, not sure how well that will go.

**Unknown-Dreams**: Yes… Poor Sakura –makes face- Nah, I can imagine it would suck, and I agree, poor Shino, how could I do this to him? –smirks- I'm a bad person aren't I?


	5. Turmoil

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 5: Turmoil

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

The Godaime tapped her fingers on the side table impatiently, watching the pink haired kunoichi with a troubled look on her face.

The sirens had gone off late last night when Sakura's parents had returned from work and found their daughter unconscious and barely breathing on the front doorstep. The only suspicious things in sight were the infected bug bite on the girl's hand and the small pile of ashes lying next to her.

Tsunade had been called as soon as the doctors realized the girl wasn't going to wake up, despite all of their best efforts. Apparently this was a job only she could do, which was not very reassuring at all. So she had poured chakra into Sakura's bloodstream, purging it of the poison left behind by the bug.

At eleven o'clock last night Sakura had woken up.

At eleven thirty she named her assailant.

At eleven fifty the poison had taken affect again despite Tsunade's efforts.

At midnight she had had to proclaim Aburame Shino a missing-nin.

At one o'clock a team of hunter-nins had been dispatched.

This was all happening too fast.

The pressure had been on for her to give him his new status, if she had refused they would have wanted to know why. Problem was, she didn't have an answer. There was no way for her to make what the ex-Chuunin had done right. She had even tried to delay sending off the hunter-nins, in an attempt to let the boy get a good head start, but that had been shot down.

In the eyes of the council, Aburame was a liability, and he had to be gotten rid of.

In her eyes, he was just a confused teenager who had made the wrong decision.

That wasn't something he deserved to be killed for.

Maybe she could have found someone else to go in Kiba's place; she should have at least tried. There were others in Konoha who were trackers, just none that were as good besides other members of the Inuzuka clan, and all of them had already been deployed on various missions outside of the Hidden Leaf's borders.

Tsunade sighed, turning her head away from the too pale Sakura. If she had sent someone else instead, Sakura wouldn't have been poisoned, and she wouldn't be down two more Chuunins.

Konoha had gone from having the strongest military power of any of the hidden villages to this; they were short on Jounins, so much so that the village's Jounin camps were largely populated by Chuunins. They were short on Chuunins, and teachers were having to be pulled from the Ninja Academy to do missions. They were starting to run low on ANBU too, as the elite fighters were the first ones targeted by the enemy.

The only thing they had a surplus of was Genins, who were all but useless in a combat situation. She had gotten so desperate that she had instructed the Academy to pass fifteen students instead of the usual nine, who were then split into groups of five to train with a Chuunin until they had enough skill that they wouldn't be slaughtered the first time they ventured out of Konoha on a _real_ mission.

Which meant she was even lower on active duty Chuunins, as five were going to be tied up with the care of Genins, and therefore stuck doing the easiest missions, such as scouting for ANBU, or taking supplies to Jounin camps.

The Godaime looked back at Sakura, watching the kunoichi's chest rise and fall slowly.

Just when had things gotten so desperate?

* * *

"_Shikamaru_!"

The Jounin sighed and finished pulling his jacket on before replying to his mother's shout.

Apparently Neji had arrived.

"Hang on a second mother, I'm getting dressed." He heard scuffling feet and a door closing, so apparently his mother hadn't shut Neji out in the cold. It was a start at least; he had been fully anticipating her slamming the door on his face. Actually, he had spent the majority of the night stressing about that, which was so drastically out of character that he had actually considered telling the Godaime that he couldn't go on the mission and then admitting himself into the Konoha Hospital for observation.

Strapping his shuriken pouch to his leg, Shikamaru tried to ignore the feeling of building anxiety. He would never finish this mission if he couldn't even look at the Hyuuga; fortunately he wouldn't have to talk much, except maybe to share a plan, or discuss a change in direction, this mission was much too troublesome already.

He tucked a few explosive notes into a pocket for good measure before grabbing his leaf forehead protector (which he _still_ wore on his arm) and joining his mother and Neji in the hallway.

The ANBU had backed himself into the corner nearest the door and was trying to avoid the Nara widow's distrustful eyes. Shikamaru sighed and hoped his mother wouldn't go off onto another of her tangents while Neji was standing right there.

Apparently that was too much to ask.

"Shikamaru, you didn't tell me your mission was with _him_." his mother spat. "Couldn't you ask Hokage-sama for a different partner? I'm sure she would agree if you explained the situation."

Shikamaru shook his head, noticing how the Hyuuga had bristled at his mother's words. Well, that _was_ the biggest reaction anyone had gotten from him in a long time, it was a far cry from the usual cold stare he gave anyone who dared to disturb him.

Now that he thought about it, Neji got more and more like Sasuke everyday.

That was a lot more troublesome than his mother spewing off her usual garbage in front of the Hyuuga.

At least she hadn't gone into the whole 'fell in love with a demon/disgrace to his village' bit; Shikamaru didn't ever want to see what Neji would do in retaliation to _that_.

"No mother. There is no situation. Besides, I'm sure Tsunade-sama is already aware of anything you would have me tell her, she _is_ the Hokage. Now, if there isn't anything else you need, we have to go now."

When she looked like she was about to argue, Shikamaru cut her off by kissing her on the cheek and stepping towards the door. "I'll be back in a month, if not sooner. Take care of yourself and don't forget to ask the Yamanakas or the Akimichis if you need anything."

"Alright." She whispered, all the fight draining out of her voice. "Be careful."

Shikamaru smiled halfheartedly and opened the door, gesturing for Neji to go first. Letting the Hyuuga pass, he glanced around the front hall for anything he might have forgotten before stepping out himself and shutting the door firmly behind him.

He didn't look back.

He didn't hear sobs that came from behind that closed door.

Too bad.

Things might have ended differently if he had.

* * *

Kiba stared at Iruka with disbelief; the man in front of him currently wrestling their third team member to the ground was not the civilized school teacher he remembered in any way, shape, or form. That Iruka had been sensible and civilized, except when students didn't pay attention, but that was only to be expected.

But then, Iruka had stopped for a breather, and Kiba and Daiki had stopped to wait for him to catch his breath. Kiba hadn't thought anything of it, he was getting slightly out of breath himself, but hadn't been about to admit it. That had been all fine and dandy, but then Iruka had thrown himself at Daiki, apparently forgetting that they were high above a ground standing on a tree branch. The pair had gone tumbling to the ground, Daiki fighting to get away from the Umino before they before hit bottom.

It hadn't worked.

Kiba, watching from above, winced at the sickening thud the two Chuunins made when they hit the ground. He peered over the edge of the limb of the tree to see if they were both still alive only to find Daiki still in Iruka's grasp, getting pummeled by him.

It didn't occur to Kiba that maybe he should pull the other Chuunin off of Daiki. That or he realized how useless it would be. Something about the slightly crazed look in Iruka's eye told him that he would not easily be convinced to release his victim.

"What. Did you. Do to him!" Iruka yelled between each gasping breath he took. Kiba watched, still transfixed with horror, as Daiki elbowed the other school teacher in the stomach and leaped away when the Umino fell back.

The blond leaned against the closest tree trunk; fighting to catch his breath.

Kiba's nose twitched.

Damn.

The resounding pop and cloud of smoke confirmed his suspicion; this was most certainly not Daiki. When the smoke cleared, a shinobi wearing a forehead protector with the symbol of the Hidden Sound stood at its center, sporting what appeared to be a broken nose.

Akamaru growled and Kiba put a hand up to his muzzle in a vain attempt to silence the dog.

By now, Iruka had gotten to his feet as well, one arm wrapped around his ribs.

"How did you know?" The Sound-nin asked, one hand going to his nose. Kiba flinched when the smell of blood hit his sensitive nose; it was broken all right. "No, how long have you known?"

Iruka winced as he spoke, at least one rib having cracked in the initial fall. "I noticed about ten minutes ago that your shuriken pouch is on the wrong leg, Daiki is, or should I say _was_ left handed. I had to wait until Kiba's breathing started getting labored though, or you would suspect something when I stopped. Fortunately, he's still tired from his last mission, so I didn't have to wait too long."

The shinobi smirked. "What can I say? I didn't get a good enough look at him before I killed him I guess. Oh well, this just means I kill you now instead of tonight in your sleep."

Kiba didn't even try to stop the snarling growl from Akamaru this time.

* * *

"Nice of them to leave us behind hmm?"

Tenten rolled her eyes when Lee didn't answer. Was she the only normal one left on her team? There was Gai-sensei who would ditch his own students to work with ANBU instead; there was Lee-kun who seemed to have some sort of grudge against all ANBU in general for no particular reason; and then there was Neji-kun…

She wasn't _even_ going to go into that now.

The kunoichi sighed and flopped against a tree trunk. Midori-san had suggested they take cover in the forest furthest away from the river and Gai-sensei had agreed, so before the ANBU and Gai had left, they had made sure the two Chuunins made it safely into the woods.

Kind of pointless if you asked her; it wasn't like they were hidden from sight by the trees, which had long since withered and died, leaving their branches grey and completely stripped of leaves. They were actually probably _more_ noticeable here, where their clothes stood out from the decaying wood; at least in the field the green had blended to a point.

It wasn't like she was about to argue with an ANBU though; no one did. There was a _reason_ they were the elite; the same reason that she had no doubt in her mind that Neji had been accepted into their ranks without hesitation.

One more piece of evidence that she didn't know the Hyuuga nearly as well as Gai or Lee.

Tenten drummed her fingers on the tree bark impatiently; she hated to just be sitting around doing nothing, she really didn't know how Shikamaru could stand it, even _prefer_ it. Of course, he was different now too, but what could you do? "Hey, Lee-kun?" At least this time the other Chuunin actually looked up. "What do you think of Neji and Shikamaru?"

Lee looked confused, but at least that meant he was paying attention. "I don't think I follow you Tenten." He said before letting his head slump forward again. Tenten sighed; did she have to spell things out for him still?

"Oh come on Lee, you know what I mean. Don't you think Shikamaru has a thing for Neji?"

Judging by the look on his face, apparently not.

"What gives you that idea?" Lee asked eagerly, showing more life than he had since Gai had first tabled the idea of going for ANBU assistance. Tenten raised an eyebrow; apparently she _wasn't_ the only one here who enjoyed a little gossip every now and then. Well, she might as well make the most of a bad situation, and use this opportunity to get Lee to lighten up a little bit.

"For one thing, he always stumbles over words when he's talking to Neji, which is even stranger for him seeing as he's such a genius. Also he stares at him sometimes and blushes whenever Neji looks in his direction." She shrugged. "Personally, I'd say it's pretty obvious, but he hasn't seemed to notice it himself yet, and Neji most certainly hasn't. But that's only to be expected isn't it? He's not quite his usual perceptive self anymore is he?"

Lee shook his head, his black hair dusting his eyes before he wiped it away. Apparently going three months without a haircut hadn't been his brightest idea to date. "No, no he isn't. Not since Gaara…"

They both fell silent; somehow, it didn't really seem right to go on after that.

* * *

**a/n**: I didn't mean to do that this chapter. It just kind of… happened. It seems to fit, so I'm not going to stress over it too much. Really. So what do you all think, am I absolutely insane? Just wait until you see what happens next…

**SNA:** Really? I was worried he was too… I dunno. Too something. But if you like him, then no worries huh? I'll try to keep them this length in the future! Thanks, and I plan to continue, don't worry .


	6. Resilience

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 6: Resilience**

**

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

Naruto scuffed his feet in the dirt, watching with mild fascination as the dust clouds rose up.

This was boring.

He absolutely detested being on guard duty, as it meant he had to walk slowly in circles, and stay completely silent. He supposed it was better than having to sit still and be quiet, but not by much. Both made him want to strangle something just for the sake of something to do. Unfortunately, it appeared that he was the only one in this part of the woods, and strangling himself was not only counter productive, but probably slightly difficult.

The Jounin kicked the ground again, wincing as his foot connected with a rock.

"Damn." He muttered, and returned to what he had been doing before he had gotten involved in making pictures in the dirt (so far, he had a bowl of ramen, complete with chopsticks and all, a frog, a pretty spiral sort of thing, and what appeared to be a snake, but he wasn't sure).

Which had been seeing how far he could walk with his eyes closed before he ran into something.

And thus completely defeating the purpose of being on watch.

So far his record was twenty feet, but he wasn't all that proud of it as he had promptly fallen in a prickly bush after that, which kind of took all the pride out of his victory. And then the time before that he had nearly drowned when a stream had appeared where he wasn't exactly expecting a stream to be.

Bad things happened when Naruto got bored.

Jiraiya and Kakashi had learned this the hard way.

Poor sods.

Opening his eyes when he felt his foot connect with the base of a tree, Naruto sighed; he didn't see why they couldn't just take their chances with the enemy. Just because Shizune had been unconscious for the past four days, and Kakashi could barely move from over use of _that _eye, didn't mean he and Genma couldn't take the bastards.

Hey, if Sasuke hadn't been able to kill him, what would make _these_ people any more capable?

Well wasn't this a pleasant train of thought?

Giving up on his game, the Jounin opened his eyes again and decided that now was the perfect time for some shuriken practice. Grabbing a handful of the stars from his shuriken pouch, Naruto chose a tree about thirty yards off to be his target. Lining himself up with his eyes, he got ready to throw the first set, concentrating on where on the tree he wanted to hit.

Whipping the shuriken away from him in a one fluid movement, Naruto grinned as they flew straight through the air to imbed themselves in the tree he had picked out of the lineup.

And as he did a little victory dance, he missed the eyes watching him from up in a tree about ten yards away from the one he had just assaulted with shuriken.

He really should have been paying attention to how far away from their makeshift camp he had walked.

* * *

Shino had planned this part well at least; he was already through the village gate when the sirens sounded, he had watched it close from a tree a few hundred yards away. And then he had started running. 

He had been on the move for fifteen minutes when he finally couldn't hear the blaring noise of the sirens anymore, but he knew they were still going strong, warning villagers to stay inside until the Godaime knew what had happened and had decided on a course of action.

Tsunade-sama probably had an idea of what had happened the moment the first siren sounded.

So every second counted now if he wanted to actually make it to the other team before he was caught by hunter-nins. It really wasn't going to help that he had only returned from his last mission the night before and thus wasn't fully recuperated. Well, no one ever was these days; they were given a week tops, and usually much less, to get into as good as shape as they could manage before they were sent out again.

The length of time a shinobi spent in Konoha between missions depended on many things. One, their personal skill level. Two, the difficulty of the mission they had just returned from. Three, the difficulty of the mission they were about to take on. Four, the injuries they had sustained (if any) on their last mission. Five, how desperate the war situation was at the time.

Since scouting out an area for a Jounin Camp was a painfully easy task, only dangerous if there happened to be fighting in that area, Shino had only been given a day's rest in between his arrival in and his departure from Konoha. Even though his last mission had been a particularly grueling one. Even though it felt like if he had to run one more mile his bones would shatter.

When the sun rose that morning he felt little relief. He had made it through the first night, but the sunlight was only going to make it easier for the hunter-nins to find him, and he didn't have a clue about what kind of special jutsus they had for finding missing-nins. All he could do was keep running and hope they wouldn't catch up.

What a great plan.

Right now would be when he could have really used Shikamaru's skill at making practically fool proof strategies, but not everyone can be a genius.

Too bad.

It would have made things a lot easier for him.

Shino sighed, his brain working overtime. He had to have at least an hour on the hunter-nins, who would have had to receive their orders and prepare to go before they could actually take up the chase. So the least he could do was lay some traps for them, it wasn't like he could get into any deeper trouble.

That was little too much like thinking 'well I've already killed one person, so I guess it really doesn't matter if I kill a few more. It's not like they can kill me twice if they catch me' for his liking, but desperate times call for desperate measures, no?

His mind made up, Shino stopped, leaning against a tree trunk as he struggled to catch his breath. He wasn't quite up for this kind of strain on his body yet, he hadn't had any time at all to rest since he had completed his last mission. He dug around in a pouch until he found some explosive notes. It didn't take much effort to then alter them slightly so that they wouldn't explode until someone came within fifteen feet of them.

After tying six of the notes to kunai, he stuck one to the tree he was already in. Three of the rigged kunai he put back into a pouch, the other three he threw, one at a time, so that they were lodged into trees with this one as the center. With any luck, at least one of the notes would be triggered when the hunter-nins tried to get past, if not all four. The other three he would spread around a little further on, close enough to here that the hunter-nins wouldn't be expecting them, but far enough away that they wouldn't be triggered into exploding by the four notes here when they went off.

Surveying his trap, Shino massaged the place where his neck met his shoulders with a cold hand. He was still stiff and only getting stiffer; if he was forced to keep up this pace for too much longer he would get completely tired out and would be unable to hold of any other enemies he may run into. He also had to be careful with where he placed his traps, shinobi from Konoha came through here on an almost daily basis, it was close enough to the village that there weren't any Jounin Camps quite yet, but anyone returning to or just leaving the village from that gate would pass through the area.

Hopefully his traps would be tripped by either the hunter-nins or shinobi from the Sound or Mist, but there was always the chance…

Shino shook his head vigorously, trying to stop focusing on the 'what ifs'.

He had done something he probably shouldn't have, and now he was going to pay for it and pay well. If he didn't want to be caught, he couldn't dwell on the possibility of his traps either killing or injuring Konoha shinobi or allies of the hidden village for too long.

* * *

"What makes you think you can kill us?" Kiba snarled, jumping down from his tree so that he was looking the Sound-nin in the eye. Iruka nodded his agreement, one hand still pressed over his ribs, and Akamaru barked encouragingly. Any fear he had had before was almost gone now, replaced by anger. He may not have known Daiki all that well, but that didn't mean he didn't care that this shinobi had murdered him. 

The Sound-nin smirked, taking his hand away from his face. "The way I see it all I'm up against is a school teacher with a couple broken ribs and a little boy and his mutt. I shouldn't even break a sweat against trash like you."

Akamaru barked again and Kiba unzipped his jacket, letting the dog jump down to the ground. "Akamaru isn't a mutt. And I'm not a little boy. I can prove that to you if you'd like."

"Go right ahead."

Kiba rolled his eyes and opened a pouch with one hand, fishing out two soldier pills, one for Akamaru, one for him. One second thought, he grabbed another and tossed it to Iruka, who caught it with one hand. Shoving one into his mouth and throwing the other for Akamaru, Kiba turned back to the Sound-nin. "Hey you, what's your name?"

Apparently not suspecting that, the shinobi gaped at him for a second before replying. "Kiyoshi Isamu, why?"

Kiba grinned, baring teeth sharper than they had any right to be. "I like to know who it is I'm killing."

Behind him, Iruka winced, not used to seeing his former students going all evil. Sadly, he was going to get accustomed to it far sooner than he would like, but it was a far cry better than watching his former students getting killed. Sighing, he swallowed the soldier pill the Inuzuka had given him, trying to ignore the sharp pain in this chest from the broken ribs. Daiki had been their medic of sorts; now he was going to have to wait until they found a town to have his ribs set, which meant he wasn't going to be much use in a fight until then.

Looks like Kiba was going to be on his own for this then.

Kiba watched Isamu's face as Akamaru digested the soldier pill, it was much the same as Naruto's had been all those years ago in the Chuunin exam; disbelieving. He smirked, the Sound-nin would believe it soon enough, like after they hit him with Gatsuuga for example.

Quickly, while the Sound-nin was still watching Akamaru, Kiba formed the necessary hand seals for Juujin Bunshin. Once his dog had transformed, Kiba considered his options. He didn't know what Isamu's jutsus were, or if they had anything to do with sound manipulation (he really hoped not, last time he had been up a Sound-nin with those kind of capabilities he had won, but definitely come out of the fight at less than 100 and he hadn't been able to walk in a straight line for a week). Hopefully, considering the kind of speed required for Gatsuuga, any sound attacks wouldn't be able to penetrate, and if they were… Kiba shrugged, he would just have to deal with that if it happened. "Ready Akamaru?"

No matter how many times he saw it, it was always disconcerting to hear Akamaru's bark coming out of a mouth on a body that looked exactly like his.

"Then you know the drill, if we lose, we don't get to see Shino again, and we don't want that do we?" Akamaru barked again, a predatory grin on his face as he stared the Sound-nin down.

Iruka backed away from the pair, stopping only when he felt the reassuring strength of a tree at his back. One Kiba was more than enough thank you very much, and he definitely did not want to get in the way of this jutsu.

"Alright then, let's get this over with so that rotten thief doesn't get too far ahead of us! _Gatsuuga no jutsu_!"

* * *

That had been far too easy. The poor Chuunins never knew what hit them, which had allowed him and the two ANBU to kill them before they even had a chance to react. He had requested that the ANBU leave at least one alive so that he, Lee, and Tenten could take the shinobi back to Konoha with them for questioning. 

Of the five Sound-nin, one had survived the attack, but she was severely injured, so that she wouldn't be able to put up a fight when she was carted off to Konoha. Hopefully she would have some good information in her otherwise Gai would have carried her for two days for nothing.

When they returned to where they had left Lee and Tenten they found two silent and brooding eighteen year-olds. Gai sighed; he left them alone for half an hour and came back to this. Hopefully it would pass; otherwise he was going to spend the next two days fighting the urge to shake them until they snapped out of it. He just wished he knew what had happened while he was gone, it took a lot to crush Rock Lee's spirits and Tenten wasn't exactly the silent type either.

He looked from the unconscious girl under his arm to the as-good-as-comatose Chuunins sitting on the forest floor.

This was going to be a fun weekend.

"Thank you for your assistance Midori-chan, Kenta-kun, we'll be alright from here, so you can return to your squad now, perhaps one of Tsunade's messengers has already been and gone?"

"It was nice working with you Gai-san." The ANBU in white, Kenta, said. "Sorry we can't help you back to Konoha with that."

"Don't worry about us," Gai replied, depositing the Sound-nin on the ground with a soft thump. He winked at the ANBU before continuing. "We have Konoha's very own Green Beast, eh Lee-kun?"

Lee jumped a bit, but nodded. "Yes Gai-sensei." He said in a monotone, but he got to his feet, pulling himself up using a low tree branch. He dusted his hands off and bowed to the two ANBU. "Thank you for helping us."

Taking her cue from Lee, Tenten also jumped to her feet to bow to the elite shinobi. "What you said was true, ANBU-san. My balance _is_ off; it was kind of you to help Gai-sensei when we couldn't."

"It's Kenta, and don't mention it, just glad we could be of assistance. Good luck on your journey home. Let's go Midori, before it gets too late." Kenta said, his face still hidden behind his dog's mask. The other ANBU, wearing black and a cat mask, nodded to them, bowed to Gai, and then they were gone.

Gai blinked. "I'll never get used to that." He muttered to himself before turning to grin at his students, who just stared blankly back. "Now, what's gotten you two so down?"

"Nothing Gai-sensei, we were just talking." Tenten said, giving the Sound-nin at the Jounin's feet a once over. "She for Ibiki-san?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Hopefully she'll know something new or useful, I think Ibiki is getting rather fed up; he hasn't been able to get much out of any of the captured Sound shinobi as far as I know. I can imagine that is rather frustrating for an interrogation master like him." He shrugged. "If not, Tsunade should be able to put her to good use rebuilding the district that got destroyed last week."

At Lee and Tenten's blank looks he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Heh. I forgot you two didn't know about that. Kenta told me about it after we dealt with the Sound-nins. Apparently something got through the Eastern defenses, as far as he knew it was one of Orochimaru's giant snakes. Anyway, it crushed an eastern section of the wall and part of the town; prisoners are being put to work to rebuild it. I wouldn't worry too much about it, most of the villagers got out of the area before it was destroyed, and no one was killed."

He bent down to pick the unconscious kunoichi up again and straightened up with her under one arm. "Well then, shall we go?"

* * *

**a/n**: I'm having fun, can you tell? I had to cut it down to only four scenes again because I made them longer than usual. This will probably be the way it is for a while, but no guarantees. I just keep on writing, and writing… Chapters will either be cut to fewer scenes, or will become longer. Not too much longer, but around 3400 words, as opposed to 2400. This one is 3000 and a bit… Yay me. 

**AvaStar**: I know, isn't it? Well, here's the next chapter, hope it's as good as the last.

**Unknown-Dreams**: Updated! (obviously) I'm so mean to them all aren't I? I promise I won't pick on Sakura _too_ much… -grins-

**Snickers**: Umm, I did… See the warning in the summary? Thanks though, I'm glad you like that part at least.

**SNA**: Well, he didn't do much in this bit, but he will, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about him . And yes, I do write "like a crazy thing" so don't worry about having to wait a while for updates! –grins- Thanks!


	7. Obscurity

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 7: Obscurity

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

When Sakura woke up, Tsunade was gone from her bedside. The table the Godaime had drummed her fingers on now held a vase full of colorful flowers. The clock on the wall told her it was noon.

Noon when?

Had a day passed? Two? A week? A month?

They really ought to keep calendars in all the rooms.

Maybe she would suggest that to the receptionist on her way out.

Sakura pushed the heavy blankets off, wincing at how stiff her body was. With difficulty she swung her legs over the edge, shivering when her bare feet touched the cold floor. She was still wearing the same clothes as she had been in when that damn bug of Shino's had bitten her, so she couldn't have been here for too long.

She shuffled over to her shoes, slipping her feet into them easily. There didn't appear to be a jacket of any kind in the room, so she went without, it wasn't that cold outside unless there was a wind blowing through the village. Spring was almost over, summer was about to start, hopefully things would get easier for Konoha and her allies in the warm weather.

Pushing the door open, Sakura stepped out into the hallway, her feet padding softly on the tile in her sandals. It was surprisingly empty in the hall, considering how busy the hospital usually was, but she didn't dwell on that for too long. She was awake, she was feeling a hell of a lot better than she had been when that bug first bit her, and she was ready to get out there and kick some Sound ass.

Of course, she had to find her way out of the hospital first…

It was times like this that she envied the Hyuuga Clan and their Byakugan.

Sakura walked down the hallways, glancing into all the rooms she passed, in case there was a nurse or doctor or someone in one of them that could tell her how to get the hell out of this place. Not even medic-nins are immune to the horrors that were hospitals, and she couldn't help but wince every time she looked in on some poor shinobi with a particularly nasty injury.

When she finally made it to the front room, after several false starts, wrong turns, and bolts out of operating rooms, she stopped at the reception desk. "Excuse me, could you tell me the date please?"

The receptionist, a moderately pretty blond girl, glanced up from the charts she had been reading over. She gave the kunoichi a once over, apparently trying to decide if she was a patient or just plain crazy. "Sorry?"

"The date, I just woke up, and I'm not sure how long I was asleep for…"

"Name?"

Sakura blinked, was it that hard just to tell her the date? Oh no, the girl wasn't going to call for a doctor was she? Well, if she did, she would just have to make a run for it now wouldn't she? She didn't think she would be able to stand lying in a bed staring at the ceiling, there was just too much to do. Like the mission that had probably been abandoned for example. "Haruno Sakura."

The receptionist flipped through a register until she found what she was looking for. "You were admitted at ten o'clock the night before last. You've been here for a day and a half. And you're not supposed to be up yet."

"You can tell all that from a register?"

"No. I can tell from the nurse standing behind you tapping her foot impatiently."

"Damn it!"

* * *

Hinata winced as Rin's shuriken missed the target circle by at least four feet and went whizzing on by. His target didn't have a single shuriken in it; the closest one had landed ten feet behind it, but only two feet to the left. The target next to his, belonging to his best friend Hotaka Kaburo had all ten shuriken clustered around the center.

The Genin couldn't throw shuriken to save his life. Kunai either for that matter; he had very nearly killed two of his fellow Genins when they had been practicing throwing three at once.

If it wasn't so worrying it would have been funny.

As Genins, they didn't have many skills in genjutsu or ninjutsu, which meant they would have to rely mainly on their taijutsu and weapons to stay alive. If Rin couldn't even count on being able to get a shuriken or kunai within a foot of his enemy, he wasn't going to survive his first fight. This war had just thrown the entire purpose for being a Genin right out the window. The rank had been designed so that students fresh out of the Academy could hone their skills and gain new ones before they had to take on missions where they would actually need them.

"Here, Rin, watch me okay?"

Hinata looked over at her Genins with a small smile, what they lacked in skills they made up for in teamwork; they had improved by leaps and bounds in the last two days. Takumi was still quiet and withdrawn, but he was working hard and encouraging the others. The girls, Kohaku and Michi, were working together in their spare time, Michi trying to teach Kohaku how to use kawarimi, a ninjutsu her father had taught her. And Kaburo was trying in vain to teach Rin how to throw shuriken (Hinata hated to admit it but the boy would probably be better off trying to teach the _outhouse_ to throw shuriken).

That had been one of the main purposes of bringing the Genins out in larger groups to train before they were separated into their teams; to teach them teamwork. In the Ninja Academy it had been every man for themselves; they needed to learn how to work together before they would be able to survive in this war. She remembered the first mission she had done with _her_ team, it had actually been depressing. Looking back, she wasn't sure how _they_ had survived. Oh right, they had had a rather kick ass instructor, hadn't they? Still, you would've thought they hadn't know the _meaning _of the word team, let alone how to work in one. Thankfully things had only gotten better from there, and now? Well, they weren't exactly a team anymore, but two of them still worked together pretty damn well. Hinata smiled, it was always a good pick-me-up to think about the old days with Kurenai, even if she had been a bit of a failure back then. All that mattered is that they had been a team.

Unfortunately, no amount of teamwork was going to make that boy good at shuriken throwing.

Watching another shuriken miss the target, Hinata sighed. This was just painful to watch, even after her own rather dismal shuriken skills when she had been a Genin. At least she had managed to get her shuriken on the target block, if not in the actual rings themselves. She felt bad for Rin though; it must be hard on him that his best friend could throw a perfect ten every single time while he was lucky to get _his_ shuriken within ten feet of the target.

Deciding to take pity on the boy, she held her hand up, signaling for them to stop. It took them a few seconds to notice her, but when they did they fell silent immediately, which was a rather nice change from a few days ago, when she had to raise her voice uncharacteristically high just to get their attention. She had a newfound respect for the Academy teachers that was for sure; she had no idea how they hadn't just given up already and quit, like she would have.

"Thank you, we are going to stop here for now, it's time for lunch. After lunch, we're going to go out on a patrol and you are going to show me your tracking skills." Hinata told the Genins, smiling reassuringly at Rin. She knew the boy, while pitiful in this area, was quite the tracker. It was possible that, if he made it through this war, he might have a future as a hunter-nin.

Other than Kaburo, none of them were particular adept at taijutsu, but their skills were passable. A few showed some skill with ninjutsu, like Michi, and even quiet little Takumi was quite the genius when it came to genjutsu. Hopefully, by the time they returned to Konoha at the end of the month, they would all be a little better off.

And if not, well, then she wasn't doing her job right was she?

* * *

Naruto blinked.

Well _damn_.

They were surrounded, absolutely and completely surrounded. Apparently the Sound-nin had been planning to ambush them all along. And that reconnaissance they had done? Worthless. By the looks of some of these shinobi, he'd say at least half of them were Jounins, if not more. A few of them looked as though they were about on level with ANBU.

Backing closer to Genma, Kakashi and Shizune, Naruto gulped. They could not take on all of these shinobi by themselves, they'd be killed. If Kakashi would just somehow miraculously recover and if Shizune would wake up, ready and raring to fight, they _might_ have a chance. But it was a pretty big might, not exactly odds he'd be ready to stake his life on. It was starting to look like he wouldn't have a choice.

Unconsciously putting Kakashi and Shizune between them, Naruto and Genma each drew a kunai, thinking rapidly. Naruto could use Kage Bunshin, but against this many enemies at this level, he would need a million clones at least just to make a dent. It just wasn't worth the chakra. The blond Jounin's eyes were moving rapidly, from one enemy to another and then on to yet another, trying to find a weak spot, a flaw, anything.

There wasn't one.

The Sound-nins were packed three deep in a full circle around the clearing, all in all there were about fifty of them. On their own, without two unconscious Jounins that they had to protect, Naruto and Genma probably could have taken ten, if they were lucky. As it was, there was no way they were going to win this one.

Naruto twitched; was it just him or were the Sound-nins getting closer? He looked over his shoulder to make sure Genma was still there, not hearing the usual click of his senbon against his teeth. Once reassured that the brunette hadn't already been taken down while he had been distracted, Naruto turned his blue eyes back to the circle of shinobi.

An army of reinforcements would have been nice right about now, maybe a squad or five of ANBU. Anyone really. Hell, right now he would take help from Orochimaru if the man offered it.

And that was what you called desperate.

Fingering the kunai in his right hand, Naruto scanned the clearing for anything that could be used to his advantage, a squirrel, a leaf, a tree, _anything_. He didn't want to die here. He really really didn't want to die here; there were still things he hadn't done, like become Hokage for one. Or bring Sasuke home.

He ignored the little voice in his head that told him that with every passing day the likelihood of that ever happing got less and less, if there had ever been any chance to start with. He was in a bad enough situation as it was; he didn't need his own mind going all defeatist on him.

A ripple of noise from the Sound-nins behind him had him spinning on the spot, even though that left his back open and vulnerable to attack. These shinobi were pros, if they were going to break formation it was damn well going to be for a good reason. Who knows, he might be able to use it to his advantage.

The shinobi by Genma parted, opening a three foot path into the clearing. Naruto and Genma were staring at the gap, transfixed, waiting for who, or what, was going to come through. Beyond the Sound-nins the forest was dark, so all they could see at first was a foot, wearing a normal blue sandal. They watched as the Sound-nins fell silent, watched as the rest of a body followed the foot onto the path, watched as the body stepped into the light, watched as things definitely took a turn for the worse.

Naruto gasped.

Genma swore.

Uchiha Sasuke, arms crossed casually, smirked.

* * *

"Neji-kun, did you hear the sirens the other night?" Shikamaru asked once they were on the road again after lunch. They had been walking for two days already, but were still miles away from the Hidden Sound. Yesterday, once they were outside the gates, they had agreed to take it slowly. Well, not slowly, but they weren't going to push it. Shikamaru had only returned from his last mission three days before they had left Konoha, and was still slightly tired. And they hadn't really agreed either, Shikamaru had suggested it, and Neji hadn't responded, but the Jounin had decided to take the silence for agreement, and so they had walked.

"Yeah." Shikamaru sighed, again with the one word answers. What did it take to get a response out of the ANBU now? Right, he wasn't even going to go there, it just wasn't worth his limbs to find out. Besides, he'd need all four to complete the mission thank you very much.

"Do you know what they were for? I mean, do you know what happened for them to be set off?" He wished Neji would take that damn mask off. The Hyuuga had volunteered to be on watch on the first night, and Shikamaru had agreed because he had been indecently tired, and it really wouldn't have done for him to collapse the next day, today. When he had woken up, sometime around dawn, Neji had had the mask on, and hadn't removed it since.

Not that it wasn't a nice mask. As far as he could tell, it was some sort of big cat, most likely a tiger, but he wasn't about to ask. Which led him to wonder why he was so scared of his friend. It was pathetic really. His thoughts spiraling out of control, Shikamaru didn't hear the beginning of Neji's response.

"-opened the gates at one."

"Hmm? Sorry?"

The ANBU turned towards him, and Shikamaru imagined the face beneath the mask was either twisted into a look of annoyance or disdain. Maybe both. Shikamaru flinched; he didn't want Neji to think of him that way. He wasn't going to dwell on why that was, it would be interesting to try and explain the blush to the Hyuuga, especially when the sun was mainly covered by clouds. "Tsunade-sama had the gates opened at one so that a squad of hunter-nins could leave, so she obviously knows who it was, and it must be a Konoha shinobi, but we left too early in the morning to hear about it or get the official notice."

"Oh. That can't be good though, we probably should have gone to see what happened before we left yesterday, just in case we run into the missing-nin." Shikamaru said, considering the situation carefully. "It would be kind of counter productive if we helped them, you know?"

Neji just nodded; the conversation was over. Shikamaru kicked at a stone on the path, he wished the other boy would just open up a little bit, maybe comment on the weather, or _something_. Though, that was the longest conversation he had had with Neji since they left Konoha, so it wasn't like things were getting worse. Come to think of it, he didn't know how they _could_ get worse; it wasn't like Neji could start taking back words.

And now he wasn't making any sense, great. Wasn't this just turning out to be the worst mission ever or what?

Shikamaru sighed; he knew he was getting desperate because he was actually considering asking Neji what animal his mask was of. He just wanted the other shinobi to talk, to forget whatever he was feeling for a just a few minutes, that was all. For that, he was willing to make a fool of himself. And he said he didn't want the ANBU to look down on him… Screw that. Even resentment was better than being completely ignored, wasn't it?

"So Neji-kun, what's your mask of?"

Again with that look. Well, it was the same as every other look the Hyuuga had given him since putting on that damn mask, but the emotion behind it was quite clear. Shikamaru shivered, and hated himself for it. "A tiger. Hokage-sama chose it."

Of course she did, Shikamaru thought. Because if she had let you, it would have just stayed blank, wouldn't it have?

Sad thing was, that was probably true.

* * *

**a/n**: I just keep writing and writing… Again, only four scenes, but they seem to be getting longer, as I said. I'm not doing it on purpose, I swear! This one is also around 3000 words, as I chose not to add another scene after the one with Neji and Shikamaru, because then it probably would have ended up being closer to four thousand words, and yeah… Well, at least you can't say I never update. Now, just wondering, was anyone at all surprised when Sasuke showed up?

**AvaStar**: Thanks! I do try! sniff Stupid hotmail messed with my review alerts! This is horrible! Hope you like this one…


	8. Calamity

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 8: Calamity

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

They had been on their way back to Konoha for a day now, but weren't even close to the hidden village yet. Last night the Sound-nin, Suzu Moriko, had woken up when they had stopped to rest for a while. None of them had gotten any sleep after that, as they all had to be on the lookout to make sure she didn't either escape nor murder them in their sleep. So, the next morning all of them except for Moriko had been dead on their feet.

Now that he thought about it; that had probably been her plan all along. Well, it was too late to worry about that now, they would just have to go with it and hope that she wouldn't try to make a break for it.

Lee yawned, rubbing his eyes as he did so. It was pure dumb luck that he didn't trip on the rock directly in his path and fall flat on his face. That would be sure to impress the strength of Konoha's fighters upon Moriko. Beside him, Tenten was walking as though dead. Both had been tired before, pulling an all-nighter hadn't exactly done wonders for them.

The only one even remotely alive was Gai, and that was only because it would take an avalanche to bury his spirits. Tenten, despite being so tired that it was a miracle she was still standing, had to restrain herself when Gai started to whistle. Even Lee, who idolized their teacher, gritted his teeth at the noise. Gai was oblivious to all this, marching happily along with Moriko under one arm.

He had given up on letting her walk after then tenth time she tried to run for it. Apparently news of Ibiki's prowess had even made it to the Sound. It was hard not to feel sorry for the girl though, _no one_ wanted to get that close to Gai. Of course, when they remembered that she was a minion of Orochimaru, hell bent on destroying Konoha and preventing them from ever getting a decent night's sleep again, it became a whole lot easier to hate her.

And that _whistling_.

They kept walking, trying to ignore the piercingly shrill noise their teacher was emitting. How many more days of this did they have to endure? Lee tried to forget how much earlier they would get there if they just ran, but it was hard. Right now, being tired was the last thing on his mind, anything that would get him out of this situation sooner was fine by him.

Even if it somehow involved strangling Gai, or tying his forehead protector around his mouth. Not even sewing the Jounin's mouth shut sounded too radical to him by now, Gai should just be thankful he had run out of thread about a week ago, otherwise it would be curtains for the man's vocal cords, there was no doubt in Lee's mind there.

The more he thought about it, the more enticing the idea became.

He really needed a good lie down. Maybe for a week or two? Lee rolled his eyes, that wouldn't happen, not in a thousand years. They would probably have about three, maybe four, days in Konoha before Tsunade had another mission for them. Hopefully it would be a little simpler, or shorter, than this one had been; he didn't think he could take another one like this right away. He was actually considering strangling his hero.

Trying to take his mind off the annoyance walking behind him, Lee tried to figure out who would be in town while they were there. He knew Naruto wasn't due back for at least another two weeks, Shino and Kiba would have been and gone, and, with their luck, probably missed each other again. Sakura would have been and gone, and the same for Shikamaru and possibly Neji. He wasn't sure about Hinata, Ino, or Choji. Most likely they were going to be the only ones there.

How long had they been gone this time? Right, a month and a half, one of the longer missions that had been assigned. The only person he knew of that had been assigned longer was Naruto, but he was on a team of four Jounins, complete with a medic, so it made sense. That team had been given a three month long mission, one they were only 2 months and 1 week into. If that wasn't brutal he didn't know what was.

He knew, and Tsunade-sama must know, that it would only be so long before one of them snapped. Shinobi were, of course, trained to hold up under pressure, but there was only so much pressure one person could take before they cracked. And when that happened, Lee sure as hell didn't want to be anywhere near by. It had happened before, they had seen it, it could happen again. He wondered who would be next.

Neji maybe, he was already pushed to the edge because of _that_ situation, and Tsunade-sama just kept sending him out on missions. Actually, the Hyuuga had volunteered for the last one. The mission in question had involved the hunting and killing of a pair of Sound-nin that had managed to sneak into the Hidden Sand, to take advantage of its vulnerability following the death of the Kazekage. The shinobi were apparently heading for one of Konoha's outlying Jounin camps next, one inhabited by four relatively inexperienced Chuunins, so it wasn't unlikely that the Sound-nins would win that fight. It hadn't been a surprise per say when Neji had volunteered, but that didn't make it any less worrying.

Another possibility was Shino; Lee knew the Chuunin was getting frustrated, what with missing Kiba by a matter of days four times in a row. These missions were stressful enough without having to worry another person, Lee knew that well enough, he couldn't begin to imagine what it was like when ever minute had you wondering if they were still alive. And then not being able to see them, touch them, and reassure yourself that they still existed, that they hadn't been killed quite yet.

Of course, Shikamaru wasn't completely unlikely either. Since his father had died, the Jounin had been having difficulties with his mother, but couldn't move out because he was afraid to leave her alone. Then he had the added stress of worrying about her when he was out on missions, because he couldn't count on her asking for help. But when he was home, they fought endlessly, Lee had seen that firsthand when, about two months ago now, their rest days had fallen at the same time and he had gone to Shikamaru's house for dinner one night. His mother had let out a steady stream of insults and snide remarks to not only Shikamaru, but Neji, Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Gaara, even himself. He didn't know how the Jounin put up with it; he would have left long ago.

Lee sighed, scuffing at the ground with one foot as he considered something. Tenten gave him a curious look, but, not getting any response, soon turned back to what she had been doing, namely, walking in a straight line, concentrating on not falling over. Lee yawned again, blinking his eyes sleepily. It was all too clear now that he thought about it.

It's always the quiet ones that lose it first.

* * *

"Iruka-sensei?" Kiba asked, cradling his left arm against his chest. It had been just over a day since they fought Isamu, and the ache in his arm hadn't subsided at all. Of course, if he hadn't been stupid enough to get caught in the Sound-nin's trap, it never would have been broken in the first place. He was just glad Iruka had reacted so fast, otherwise he would have gotten a lot more than just his arm broken. Thankfully the school teacher had managed to defeat Isamu, and upon the Sound-nin's death, they had discovered that he had also killed the thief they had been after. Iruka had taken the scroll they were after and put it in one of his pouches. That was one less problem for them to deal with at least. 

Iruka turned to look at the younger Chuunin, a small smile on his face. Kiba could tell it hurt him to talk still, what with his broken ribs and all. "You know you don't have to call me that Kiba-kun, I haven't been your teacher for a long time. Besides, there probably isn't much I could teach you anymore. Except maybe how to spot a trap."

Kiba grinned wolfishly. "It wasn't too bad, I'm just glad Akamaru didn't get hurt." He patted his dog on the head, smiling as Akamaru pressed against his hand. They had been resting here since yesterday, to give their wounds at least a little time to heal before they headed off again. At least this time they would be heading back to Konoha. By the time they got back they would have only been gone for a week and a half, if that, by far Kiba's shortest mission to date. "Maybe Shino won't have left again by the time we get back." He mused quietly.

"Maybe." Iruka agreed, dusting his hands together to get the dirt off. "Think you can run with your arm like that?" He asked, getting to his feet slowly, wincing as his ribs were pulled.

"Think you can run with your ribs like that?" Kiba retorted, knowing full well what the answer would be. It really didn't matter what condition their bodies were in though, both of them couldn't wait to be home, even if for different reasons. Iruka because he wanted to get back to the Academy, Kiba because he was holding onto the tiny chance that Shino would still be there.

"Nope." Iruka said cheerfully. "Well then, shall we go?" He put his hands on his hips, beaming expectantly at Kiba. Kiba just rolled his eyes and unzipped his jacket for Akamaru. Once the dog had settled himself comfortably, Kiba got to his feet uncertainly, making a face when his arm was jostled. The makeshift sling Iruka had made for him was all well and good when he was sitting, but he doubted it would hold up when they started to really move.

"You're far too cheerful for a man who's just had half his ribs smashed." Kiba grumbled, clutching his arm to his chest over top Akamaru, trying to ignore the awkward angle it had set itself at. Neither he nor Iruka were particularly keen on dabbling in a little field surgery; they would happily leave that to the professionals back at Konoha Hospital.

The brunette sobered, putting a reassuring hand on Kiba's shoulder. "We can take it slowly if your arm is hurting you too much. You don't have to rush home if you aren't up to it, he'll understand."

Kiba shrugged Iruka's hand off, turning away from the older Chuunin. "I'll be fine." That had sounded too much like pity for his liking, his arm would be fine once they got moving; it would have to be, because he wasn't stopping. Not even if his arm fell right off.

Iruka gave him a concerned look but didn't say anything. There was no point in arguing with Kiba when he was like this, he knew the boy well enough to know that much at least. He would just have to keep an eye on him, make sure he wasn't overdoing it too much. But if it got too bad, he would find a way to make him stop.

* * *

Shino shivered, even through his coat he could feel the brisk wind that insisted on blowing through the trees every few minutes. For the beginning of May, it was still far too cold in his opinion. Unfortunately, his sweat from running all of yesterday and last night didn't help to warm him at all. Hopefully the fact that he had yet to stop for a break longer than five minutes meant that the hunter-nins were further behind and Kiba was closer ahead. He couldn't count on either however. 

Sometime late yesterday he had run out of explosive notes and had had to rely on wire traps to try and delay the hunter-nins, and those took him far longer to set, largely defeating the purpose of putting them down in the first place. So, he hadn't set a single trap since dawn, something that would probably come back to bite him, but he hadn't really had much choice.

If he caught up with Kiba soon, things would be alright. Of course they would be, otherwise what was he doing here? He didn't stop to think about how Iruka and Daiki would respond when they found out he was a missing-nin. Hell, he didn't stop to think about how _Kiba_ would react. It was still hard for him to believe actually, and from time to time he caught himself wondering how Sakura was, even though he had decided not to focus what he had done.

Blinking back the tears the wind had caused, Shino stopped before he tripped or miss-stepped. It was a good thing he had. A little black bug beat it's wings furiously until it was hovering just in front of Shino's face. He held out a hand for it to land on and wiped his streaming eyes in the same movement. Listening for what the bug had to say, Shino glanced around the area he had stopped in; what was that smell? Thick and metallic, familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it, it was still too faint.

When the bug had finished, he looked at it sharply. A body… So it was blood then. He felt mildly ashamed of himself for not recognizing it immediately; he was around the stuff more often then not. "Where?" He demanded, lifting his hand even closer to his face, trying to stop the shaking. His mind was working in overdrive, insisting loudly that if it was Kiba, he would have known somehow, no matter how irrational this was in actuality. The little bug buzzed off his finger and Shino followed it nervously, shoving his shaking hand into a pocket.

Once he was on the ground, he was able to push through the bushes rather easily, which allowed him to finally catch his breath after a day and a half of running. By now, the smell of blood was strong enough, and getting stronger with every step he took, that he felt faintly sick. When at last he stumbled across the body, he felt a wave of relief wash over him, and his hand stopped trembling. It wasn't Kiba.

But, it was Daiki. And the body was at least a day old. Which meant Kiba could be anywhere. He could be already dead for all Shino knew; which was not a comforting thought at all. Shino stared at the school teacher's body for a minute, studying it. It looked like his chest had been stabbed in three different places, and his throat had been slashed as an after thought. Who ever had done this to the Chuunin was not a very skilled assassin.

Shino considered the body for a moment longer, but turned away. There was no time to give the man a proper burial, no matter how much he may deserve it. If he caught up with Kiba, he would make sure to come back with the other Chuunin, so they could return Daiki's body to the village and the man's family, if he had any. He held out a hand for the bug that had led him here, and as soon as it had landed, he concentrated chakra to his feet. Choosing a tree, he walked up the trunk until he was as high up in the forest as he had been before coming across Daiki's body. The only evidence of how the discovery of the Chuunin's body had shaken him was the burned footprints in the bark he had walked up.

If the school teacher was dead, then it was very likely that his killer had used _henge_ to disguise himself and travel with the other two on the team. Hopefully Kiba's superior nose, the reason he had been chosen for this particular mission, would be able to spot the difference before it was too late. If not, well, he would just have to count on the Inuzuka's fighting skills and Iruka's calm head to keep the pair out of trouble wouldn't he?

At least now he knew he had been right to worry, he could use this to justify what he had done to Sakura. Shino shivered, placing one hand on the reassuring solid of the tree trunk. He had actually just considered using a Konoha shinobi's death to his advantage, to get him off the chopping block. What sort of disgusting creature had he been turned into?

It was too easy to blame this change in character on the war, on the stress he had been under since its start last September, seven months ago now. But what else could it be? The war had been the only thing in his life since it started, except, of course, for Kiba, but he hadn't seen the Inuzuka in four months, so that didn't really count did it?

All he knew was that he was getting further and further away from his old self, and he wasn't even sure if he would ever be able to go back.

* * *

Naruto imagined that this was what it would feel like if he caught on fire. Like every nerve in his body was burning, like all he could think about was how very fast his heart was beating, like all he could do was listen to his mind screaming 'Get out! Get out!'. But there was no way out. 

So he just stared at the boy who had once been both his best friend and greatest rival all in one. A boy who, despite being a shadow of his former self, was still recognizable for who he had once been. A boy who had caused a damn lot of heartache for Naruto since he had left, four years ago now. And it hurt more than Naruto cared to admit to see the aloof Uchiha just standing there, smirking at him like nothing had changed.

He could feel the eyes of the Sound-nins on him, could hear the quiet whispers they passed amongst themselves, asking who this boy was that he could bring out _him_. But Naruto didn't care, he was used to whispers, used to stares, all that mattered right now was that Sasuke was standing _here_, in front of _him_, and he wasn't dead yet. He had imagined this moment many times, but it had always ended the same; with Sasuke apologizing, and explaining that it hadn't been his choice to join Orochimaru, that it had been a mission, a mission only he could do, that that was why he had left Naruto, and Sakura, and all of Konoha behind.

That wasn't going to happen this time; he knew that. This time, it would end with Naruto, Genma, Kakashi, and Shizune either dead, or prisoners of Orochimaru. There were going to be no apologies, no explanations. There was only them, two boys, who had once been friends, before the thirst for power had driven them apart. And now? Now they were enemies, fighting on opposite sides of this war, and Naruto couldn't let old friendships stand in the way now.

He would have to fight like he did all other battles; like the other side didn't have friends or family, like they had been made for the sole purpose of being killing machines, which, he supposed, some of them had been. Hell, he knew some people like that himself, or had known rather. To a certain extent that was what he himself was.

Naruto had realized years ago that he wasn't going to get a happy ending, that he was going to go down fighting, and that there would be no one crying over his body when he was gone. He had lost any chance for that when he had failed to bring Sasuke home. But at least that made sense, these feelings, tearing at his heart even now, telling him that he couldn't kill Sasuke; that he could still bring him back, they didn't.

Sasuke had betrayed him, betrayed his trust, betrayed their friendship, he knew that. There should be no reason for him to _want_ to bring the Uchiha home, but there was. He couldn't forget the way things had been, the way things could have been, no matter how much Tsunade-sama and the others tried to explain that things were different, that things couldn't go back. Naruto had nodded along with what they said, agreeing until they left him alone, but he refused to believe it.

Now he had three other people depending on him to fight Sasuke; three people that he knew and respected, liked even, three people that knew and respected him. Was he prepared to let them down for a dream?

Naruto scuffed one foot against the ground, his eyes not leaving Sasuke's. They were their normal black, either he didn't want to fight, or he didn't think he needed the Sharingan against them. Judging by the amount of shinobi surrounding them, Naruto felt fairly justified in concluding that it was _not _the first reason. He bristled slightly at the insult, but didn't stir, Sasuke would have to make the first move, no matter how much he would like to see the other shinobi pay for what he had done to his friends, he would not be responsible for starting this fight.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Genma shift his center of balance slightly to the left, apparently Sasuke had too, because suddenly the Sharingan was there, and all it took was a flicker of _those_ eyes, and Genma collapsed where he stood. Naruto flinched, so he had learned _that_ technique then. He was on his own now, Kakashi, Shizune, and Genma were all down for the count, and he couldn't fight off the Sharingan now. He remembered what Kakashi had told him, two years ago now, after he had returned from training with Jiraiya. The Copy Ninja had guessed correctly that he had wanted to go after Sasuke, and had decided that a little talk was in order. It was then that Naruto had learned that there were secrets about the Sharingan that even Kakashi didn't know, secrets that meant he wouldn't be able to fight Sasuke until he learned what they were, and how to combat them.

And then the Jounin had told him about _that_ technique. The technique that allowed the Sharingan user to force an opponent to live moment over and over again, for as long as they wished, but the in reality it would last mere seconds. The technique that only those with Uchiha blood and an unquenchable thirst for power could learn. Unfortunately, this made Sasuke the prime candidate. He had also told him that this technique damaged more than just a shinobi's body, but their mind as well, and it took a long time for them to recover from it.

Naruto wondered momentarily what Genma had seen. But that didn't matter now did it? He was faced with at least fifty opponents of varying strengths, not to mention Orochimaru's prized student, who had once been his best friend, and all that lay between him and death was three unconscious Jounins.

Well fuck that. He had said back then that he would take Sasuke back at all costs, even if he had to break the other boy's arms and legs. And he had been prepared to do it too, if he had thought it would help. If he could do that, why couldn't he fight Sasuke now? Here was the cause for so much heartache, standing here, right in front of him, just _waiting_ for him to try something. Right now, he hated to admit it to himself, but he really couldn't care less if Sasuke got hurt. He would do what he had to do, and if Sasuke got in the way, well, that was just too bad for him wasn't it?

He would never let it be said that Uzumaki Naruto gave up without a fight.

* * *

**a/n**: O.o I did it again! Except this time I went over by about a thousand… That was, oh, I don't know, 4200 words approximately. And I even switched the layout of the next couple chapters so that it wouldn't be pushing five thousand words! –sigh- Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do about 9 and 10, as they have been slightly skewed thanks to my inability to know when to stop… 

**AvaStar**: Here it is, hope it's to your liking. And yes, SASUKE! He'll be around for a while, no worries. And I think I may have just totally screwed up the timeline again. Well, I'll just have to hash it out, won't I? –sigh–

**Unknown-Dreams**: He is fun, isn't he? And yeah, I torture them, its fun! Don't worry, you won't ever have to wait long, I'm about two or three chapters ahead of what's posted.

**Hujin**: Maybe, maybe not… I'm sorry to say there is a_ lot_ in store for poor Neji-kun. And as for Naruto, you're just going to have to wait and see. –winks–

**Tsugath**: Well that's good, because they just keep getting longer and longer… And no, he hasn't. I know he can switch every three years, but he said he wanted Sasuke to grow up, so lets pretend he's letting him grow until he's eighteen, and _then_ it's curtains (He's sixteen right now, turning seventeen in a few months, since it's only May right now. The others from his year are either sixteen or seventeen depending on when their birthdays are, and so on and so forth).

**Starry096**: Think so? Thanks!


	9. Tribulation

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 9: Tribulation

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

"Hinata-sensei, what are we doing out here again?" Kohaku asked, her voice rising to a whine. It was only seven in the morning, the time they would have normally been eating breakfast, but they had already been out in the forest by the Jounin camp for an hour. The Genins weren't used to having to be quiet for so long and it showed.

"I told you Kohaku-chan, one of the other Chuunins thought he heard a disturbance out here this morning, but as the other three are already out on their respective missions for today and he couldn't leave the camp unguarded, he asked me to come and see for him. And as there was no way I was going to leave you five there without me, I had to bring you along. Now, please, keep it down. If there is anyone out here they will be long gone if you keep talking." Hinata said, wishing even as she explained why she hadn't that she had left them back at the camp. With the noise the five Genins were making she would be lucky to run across a squirrel, let alone an enemy camp.

Hinata, hearing a twig snap, turned on the spot just in time to see Rin squatting down to draw something in the dirt with a stick. She narrowed her eyes at the boy, considering yelling at him for startling her, but that wouldn't exactly help her cause. About to tell him off quietly, something about a hundred yards off moved, catching her keen eye.

Focusing her chakra to her eyes, she ignored the stares of her students as the Byakugan, the bloodline limit of the Hyuuga clan, activated. Turning away from where she had seen the blur of movement just moments before, Hinata waited. She bristled with annoyance when she heard the whispered voices of Rin and Kaburo, but didn't bother to scold them.

There it was again. There was definitely something out there, and it was _not_ an animal. This wasn't good. "Come here, all of you!" She hissed, eyes still fixed on the bushes not far from where she stood. A flicker of movement behind her had her repeating herself. "Come here! Now!" The Genins scrambled to obey, sensing that this was serious; they had been here for a little over a week now, and knew that Hinata didn't get angry without sufficient reason.

As soon as they were within arms reach, Hinata stopped tracking the movements for a moment to address them. "Kaburo, get out some of your shuriken, get ready to use them if you have to. If anyone comes near here, throw as many as you can. Rin, with Takumi covering you, I want you to set some explosive notes up on the clump of trees to our left, far enough away that the blast wont hurt us here. Kohaku, you and Michi are going to cover Kaburo's back so that he can focus on throwing; I want you two to have kunai in your hands at all time. And all of you, don't hesitate to ask me for help, I won't let any of you get hurt. You will have to be prepared to fight back though, because I have to try and fight anyone who might attack us off."

"Hinata-sensei? How do you know there are people out there? I don't hear or see anything." Michi asked, glancing around the clearing nervously as though there were enemies crouching in every bush and behind every tree, waiting for a chance to jump the Genins and Hinata. Which, she supposed, was entirely possible from the Genin's point of view, it was thanks largely to Hinata's Byakugan and experience in the field that she knew where the enemy was.

Considering something, it took Hinata a moment to reply. "Practice, five years of it, but the Byakugan helps a lot too." At their blank stares, she smiled slightly. "As a member of the Hyuuga clan I inherited an advanced bloodline, the Byakugan. But I'm not the best with it by a long shot. That would be my cousin, Hyuuga Neji, and then my father, the current head of the Hyuuga main family. It allows me to see in all three hundred and sixty degrees, and the flow of chakra in the human body, among other things."

"Hyuuga Neji? My father says he's a tra-"

"No." Hinata cut Kohaku off sharply. "Whatever your father said about Neji-san is wrong. Please don't repeat that. Now, Rin, Takumi, go and set those traps." The two Genins jumped slightly before running off to do as they were told. Hinata turned away from the rest of her students to watch out for the two boys. It also helped her to ignore the whispered voices of Michi and Kaburo asking Kohaku what her father had said.

This was just her luck wasn't it? Getting stuck in a forest with five Genins, only one of which was actually going to be any good to her in this situation, and then only to distract the enemy so that she could fight them off. If they were any closer to the Jounin camp she would have taken her students and run, but as it was it was better to be in an area where she would be able to watch them all and fight at the same time. Hopefully her opponents wouldn't be too strong; she hadn't been lying when she said she wasn't great with the Byakugan. And close combat was the last thing she wanted in this situation, with five children to protect.

She was just glad she had worked to develop other jutsus besides those involving the Byakugan, as opposed to what Neji had done. If he was ever put into a situation where his Byakugan was useless, he would be in a lot of trouble, at least she had something to fall back on. Forming a few simple hand seals, Hinata concentrated her chakra. "_Bunshin no jutsu_!"

Five perfect clones of the Chuunin, one to cover each of her students, materialized, and closed into a circle around the three Genins still in the clearing. Hinata herself was still keeping as close eye on Rin and Takumi, as well as the blurry shapes in the bushes around them. So far she counted three, but it was possible there was fourth, lying directly in her blind spot. Hopefully she would be able to hold them off, but she still had no idea as to what their skill level was, or which hidden village they were from.

When Rin and Takumi came crashing back into the clearing, they did a double take before joining the other three Genins inside the circle of clones. Hopefully the explosive notes would let her know if someone was sneaking up in her blind spot, as the trees they had been placed on were directly opposite to where the three shinobi she _could_ sense were. She would just have to pray that that would be enough, or that her clones would be able to hold an enemy off of her students long enough for her to get in between them and the threat.

"Kaburo, get ready, the rest of you too. Rin, I don't want you wasting any of our shuriken or kunai, so don't try to throw any, your skills in that area are too weak. Do any of you know any offensive ninjutsu at all, anything will help?" Hinata asked, her voice just above a whisper so that she would be able to hear anyone sneaking up just in case she couldn't see them.

The girls, Kaburo, and Rin shook their heads no, but Takumi turned to face her. "I do Hinata-sensei. _Mizu sharin no jutsu_, my mother taught it to me while I was in the Academy." Hinata blinked, to say she hadn't been expecting that was an understatement; of all her students, quiet little Katsuo Takumi had been the last one she would have suspected to know any jutsus. Of course, now that she thought about it, his mother had been an ANBU once, so it made sense that she would try and pass some of her own jutsus onto her son.

"Alright, then Takumi-kun, I want you use that if the opportunity arises, but don't overdo it, understand?" Hinata had already turned away from the Genins, attention caught by movement to her right, but thanks to the Byakugan she saw the brunette's nod. The enemy shinobi were getting closer, apparently finally in the positions they wanted. It was times like these she wished that the Byakugan had the ability of the Sharingan to see through _bunshin_, even _kage bunshin_, because it would be a waste of energy to fight of clones when she could let her own clones do that.

A heavy mist settling around her shoulders told her everything that she needed to know about her opponents; they were Mist shinobi, and they were strong. And if they were using water attacks, she didn't know how well Takumi's _mizu sharin_ would work. This mist would also limit Kaburo's ability to throw shuriken, the only other thing she had going for her. She could only hope that they were close combat fighters, otherwise she was in a lot of trouble. Her Jyuuken was quite useful, but only if she could actually _touch _the enemy.

Hearing a faint whirring noise, Hinata looked up. Thankfully she was still able to see in the mist, but things were still blurry. There was a dark shape above them; that much she could make out, but not much more. She narrowed her eyes, hang on, she had seen this before, a long time ago. Recognizing it, Hinata swore. "_Jouro senban no jutsu_, when did Orochimaru recruit the Hidden Rain?" She muttered. Damnit, this was bad. She couldn't deflect them with _Kaiten_ because of the five Genins, besides; she wasn't very good at it.

As soon as she saw the first needles break loose of the umbrella, Hinata quickly formed a series of hand seals, taking a deep breath as she did so. "_Doton yoroi no jutsu_!" Thank god she had forced herself to learn other jutsus; the Byakugan was not going to help her here, except maybe to see through the mist. The steady stream of carbon dioxide she blew out turned to mud when it hit the outside air, solidifying once it took the shape of a curved shield, arching a few feet over Hinata's head. Maybe one or two of the needles would break through, but no where near enough to do any serious damage.

She winced as needle after needle thudded into her makeshift shield, but when none came through she let out a relieved sigh. Hopefully it would stand up to another round because she could already hear a second umbrella being released into the air. The Genins had huddled together when the shield had appeared, glancing up as one when the needles hit. This was their first taste of real combat, but that didn't make them any less frightened.

The second round of needles came flying at Hinata's earth shield, at a different angle this time. Most were again deflected by the shield, but at least ten got past it, one slicing into Hinata's shoulder, the others striking the ground harmlessly. The Hyuuga pulled it out carefully, flinching as her flesh tore. Michi watched with fascination as the blood stained needle bounced off the dirt at her feet, the others didn't appear to notice.

Hinata thought hard about what to do next, it was doubtful any of her clones had survived the _jouro senban_, so she couldn't leave her students behind to fight the enemy, they would be practically defenseless. The sound of leaves rustling had her head snapping up, eyes focusing on the center of the earth shield. There… A moderately strong chakra, twelve feet away from her shield and closing, probably the Rain-nin coming to see if he'd gotten them with the _jouro senban_, and to finish them off if he hadn't. What to do, what to do…

"_Kage bunshin no jutsu_!" Hinata whispered, this time going for clones that could fight back, and three appeared in a small cloud of smoke. They put themselves between the real Hinata and her students, each drawing a handful of shuriken. Hinata smiled grimly, hopefully that would be enough to give her a chance to thin the enemies numbers. "Kaburo, Takumi, stay alert, be ready to fight them off if my _kage bunshin_ fails. And if the shield starts to crumble, get out from under it immediately or you'll be crushed." The two Genins she had addressed nodded, and pushed their way to the front of the circle, keeping Rin, Kohaku, and Michi behind them. About to turn away from the twelve year-olds and walk out from behind the shield, Hinata remembered something. "Oh, and Michi? There are plenty of things out here that you can use for _kawarimi_, you too Kohaku if you've figured it out yet. And Rin? Just try to stay out of trouble, alright?"

Rin looked mildly affronted, but nodded along with the two girls. It the excited look on Kohaku's face was anything to go by, she'd say the girl had mastered the jutsu. "Be careful." Hinata cautioned, and with one last look at her students, she stepped past the shield's easternmost edge, her Byakugan already tracking the movements of the Rain-nin. The other two were still a ways a way, hiding in the trees. Apparently they didn't think she would be able to put up much of a fight. She was going to have some fun proving to them that they had thought wrong.

"Hyuuga-san." Alright, it was safe to say she hadn't been expecting _that_. Hinata flinched before whirling around to face the shinobi who had snuck up on her. She had been right about one thing at least; his forehead protector bore the symbol of the village of the Hidden Rain.

Hinata stared at the other shinobi, appraising him silently. He didn't look like much, but that didn't mean anything on a battlefield. Take Choji for example, one look at him and any respectable shinobi would start wondering just how desperate Konoha had gotten. Of course, you would stop wondering as soon as the Akimichi started fighting, which was exactly her point. "How did you?"

"Trick the Byakugan?" At Hinata's nod, the Rain-nin shrugged. "It's not that hard. _Kage bunshin_ replicates the user's chakra streams no? And it wasn't hard to repress my own chakra so that you wouldn't notice it until the last second, and by then? Too late." He moved his hands into a seal. "Now if you'll excu?"

Hinata didn't let him finish. "_Doton senban no jutsu_!" A quick seal here and a deep breathe there… The Rain-nin staggered, then hit the ground heavily, twenty razor sharp needles made of hardened earth clustered around his heart and lungs, only the very ends visible above his jacket. And now the real fight was going to start.

A scream from behind her shield redirected her attention back to her students, but the masses of chakra concentrated in her shield made it impossible for her to see them. Quickly, she released the hardened dirt, pulling it away from the Genins before it could crush them. She started to form the seals for _doton senban_ just in case she would be able to get a clear shot, but what she saw stopped her.

The two girls were gone, short logs stuffed full of shuriken in their places. All three of her clones were gone, and the other two enemy shinobi were closing on the boys. Kaburo and Takumi had placed themselves between the Mist-nin and Rin, and Kaburo already had a handful of shuriken ready. Hinata swore, she wouldn't be able to get the Mist-nin with her _doton senban_ with the boys in between them.

Hinata ran for the taller shinobi, the one heading for Takumi, but the Genin attacked first. "_M-mizu Sharin no Jutsu_!" It was a technique similar to the doton senban, but instead of needles made of dirt, what the boy threw at the enemy was a series of high-speed discs of water, infused with chakra to hold it all together. It was quite impressive for a Genin, and the Mist-nin hadn't been expecting it. The first one hit him on the shoulder, but he dodged the other three easily enough.

At the same time, Kaburo had thrown his shuriken at the other shinobi, but to no avail. When the smoke cleared all that was left was a third log peppered with shuriken. Hinata, concentrating on Takumi's attacker, didn't see the shinobi appear again behind Kaburo and kick him out of the way before advancing on Rin, who had fallen to the ground in his haste to get away. Throwing a handful of shuriken at the Mist-nin, Hinata used the time she had gained while the shinobi dodged the stars to quickly form the hand seals required for the _doton senban_.

Beside her, the other Mist-nin had pulled out a handful of his _own_ shuriken. Kaburo, a few feet away, could only watch in horror as Rin shakily drew a kunai and threw it at the advancing shinobi. As expected, it flew wide by about three feet, the Mist-nin pausing only to watch it bury itself in a tree ten feet behind him and too his left. Rin was frozen on the spot with fear as the shinobi drew back his arm, preparing to throw.

Hinata turned just in time to see Kaburo throw himself in front of Rin. She could only watch, horrified, as the Mist-nin's shuriken hit him full on, two in the chest, one in the upper leg, the other hitting his neck.

* * *

Tsunade steepled her fingers on her desk, giving Sakura an appraising look. Ever since the kunoichi had woken up all of two days ago, she had done nothing but pester her about when she could go on her next mission. Apparently she had poured a little _too_ much chakra into the girl. There really wasn't any reason for her not to allow the girl out, quite the opposite in fact, as Sakura was clearly feeling good. But there had to be _some_ sort of mental repercussion when you were purposely poisoned by someone you considered your friend. 

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura said, stepping forward so that she was even closer to the desk. "Are you feeling alright? You haven't answered my question yet." The pink haired girl apparently hadn't considered the possibility that the Godaime didn't _have_ an answer yet. Tsunade sighed, she still needed someone to check that area for its suitability as a Jounin camp, but she didn't want to send one of her best medics now that there wasn't even any fighting in that area.

"Alright, alright, borrow an ANBU from one of the squads in Konoha and go out to meet Gai's team, I received word from a messenger that they have a prisoner with them, who you will heal and then turn over to the ANBU to take to Ibiki, happy now?" Tsunade asked, finally giving in. It was a job she needed doing, and if the prisoner could be fixed up before even returning to the village, it would make things a lot easier on them all. Besides, Ibiki was getting impatient, on account of none of the Sound-nins saying a word. Maybe, just maybe, this one would be different.

"Thank you Tsunade-sama! I won't let you down!" Sakura exclaimed, bowing before she rushed out of the room, presumably to hunt down an ANBU to take along with her. Tsunade watched her go, glad that at least one of them was happy. Sighing again, the Godaime shifted through a pile of papers on her desk, looking for one in particular. Finding it, she separated it from the stack, reading it for what must have been the sixth time today.

It was from Anko, and had arrived by messenger early this morning. Apparently Naruto, Kakashi, Genma, and Shizune hadn't joined the Jounin and her ANBU yet, despite having agreed to meet them three days ago now. It was possible that they had been delayed by enemy shinobi, but by then they should have been only a few miles away from the camp where Anko and the ANBU were staying.

She hated to admit it, but she was worried. Despite Kakashi's regrettable habit of being late, it was unusual for the Jounin team to be three days behind schedule. There were all sorts of problems out there they could have gotten themselves involved in, and they had done so before on many occasions, but they always managed to at least get word to who ever was expecting them, if not just beat their way out of whatever was holding them back. Up to and including a cave that had partially collapsed, trapping the four inside.

So it was understandable that she was worried, wasn't it? Now she just had to decide if she was worried enough to call off the ambush on the village of the Sound and send Anko and the ANBU out looking for the four. It was a difficult decision to make, even for her. On one hand, they had been preparing for this assault for months, and to abort it now would mean they had wasted a lot of time training for it when they could have been clearing other areas. On the other hand though, she wasn't sure if Anko and a few squads of ANBU were enough to take on the entire village.

Of course, she could always give Gai's team a day or two to recuperate and a shot of chakra and send them off again with Sakura to join up with Anko, but again, she didn't know how much good that would do, especially as Gai's team had already been out for a month and a half, if not more. While the chakra infusion would have them up and running for a little while, it would wear off sooner rather than later and they would be even more worn out that before. It felt too much like just throwing the shinobi away for her liking.

Looked like the attack was off then. Tsunade tore off a fresh sheet of paper and grabbed a pen. Wasn't this going to be fun to explain to the fighters that had spent a long time preparing for this? Though, it wasn't like she had much choice, hopefully they would see that rather than be insulted. Where to send them instead though? She supposed she could always have Anko and one team of ANBU track down the errant Jounins and split the rest ANBU back into their four man teams to attack the enemy at different points.

Glancing at the map on her wall, Tsunade found the areas nearest to the camp they were at that had the most pins stuck into them, and jotted down the co-ordinates. Unfortunately, there were plenty to choose from, as the inactivity of Konoha shinobi in that area had brought the Sound-nin out in droves as they worked their way closer to the hidden village they sought to destroy. The ANBU leaders could decide for themselves where to go from there. Ringing for a messenger to be sent, Tsunade rolled up the paper and sealed it. Hopefully Anko would be able to find the missing four soon, she, and Konoha, really couldn't afford to loose any more fighters.

* * *

Shikamaru rolled over, cracking one eye open as he did. It was Neji's turn at watch, so he really should have been trying to get all the sleep he could, but he kept waking up every few hours. Every time he woke up the ANBU had been sitting at the edge of their fire directly across from him, his mask in place. Shikamaru sighed quietly, trying to shift into a more comfortable position. They had chosen a spot in the field that brushed up against the woods so that they could have a fire without out having to worry about the grass catching fire, but so that they didn't have to sit or sleep on the dirt. That didn't mean it was comfortable though, not by a long shot. 

Flinching as a rock dug into his back through this shirt, Shikamaru bent an arm behind his back, trying to work it loose. He kept one eye on Neji as he did so, but the Hyuuga had turned his back on the fire, which had long since died, leaving only glowing embers behind, facing away from Shikamaru. Relaxing back onto the grass, Shikamaru stared at the ANBU's back, trying not to shiver in the cold.

Neji was shivering, he noticed, which was strange as he was wearing a thick sweater below his ANBU cloak. At least, he _thought_ the Hyuuga was shivering. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, Shikamaru tilted his head to the side, trying to see Neji from another angle. He had his white ANBU mask in his lap, the straps dangling over his knees, and he was hunched over it slightly. "Damn." Shikamaru whispered softly, drawing his own knees up to his chest in a vain attempt to fight away the cold chill that had settled over his body. Neji wasn't shivering, he was _crying_.

Well didn't he just feel like an idiot now? Shikamaru hugged his knees tighter, considering something. He could either lie down and try to go back to sleep, and just let Neji keep crying, or he could get off his lazy ass and try and comfort his friend. It was a harder decision to make than it had any right to be, the answer to that question should be painfully obvious. Neji, his friend, was hurting, and he was actually considering going back to sleep; he disgusted even himself at times like these.

Shikamaru sighed, his mind made up. He crawled over to the ANBU, wincing as his stiff muscles were stretched and twisted. It was a miracle Neji hadn't noticed he was awake yet; then again, he was pretty absorbed in what he was doing. Once he was beside the Hyuuga, Shikamaru sat back down. "Hey." He said softly, putting a hand on Neji's shoulder; he tried to pretend he hadn't felt Neji flinch. "Are you alright?"

The Hyuuga shrugged his shoulders slightly in a weak attempt to get Shikamaru's hand off. "Fine." He said stiffly, one hand moving to his ANBU mask, presumably to put it back on. Shikamaru hesitated for a second, but took his other hand and put it on top of Neji's, effectively stopping its movement towards the mask.

He smiled faintly, closing his hand around Neji's. The butterflies in his stomach were going double time, and he was feeling more and more lightheaded with every passing second. Really, you would think something like this would be no big deal for a ninja; they stared death in the face everyday, but no, that was unfortunately not that case, as Shikamaru was learning. The hard way. "Liar." He managed to force the word out of his numb lips, but much more than that and he was done for.

Neji had stopped trying to get away from the Jounin's light touch, instead staring at Shikamaru's hand, lying atop his own. He didn't seem to be able to look away, but was at the same time intensely aware of Shikamaru's eyes on his face. He blinked slowly, his white eyes as blank as ever. His voice was flat and strained as he spoke. "What are you doing?"

"We're tired of you being a ghost Neji. You- you need to talk to us, your friends, that's what we're here for." Shikamaru's voice cracked with emotion, trying to make the Hyuuga understand what he was saying. He squeezed the ANBU's hand reassuringly, even though it felt like he was the one that needed reassurance, it was as though he was talking to a brick wall. "We can't help you unless you give us the chance."

"Help me?" Neji's voice was cold, but it trembled. Shikamaru was glad he couldn't see all of the Hyuuga's face; he could only imagine how blank it had gotten. Sometimes he really had to wonder why he even bothered with the ANBU mask; even that was more expressive than his own face when he was like this. Which, unfortunately, was more often than not recently. "Just how do you propose to help me?"

Shikamaru almost pulled away at the icy tone of Neji's voice, but managed to stop himself in time. It was more painful than he cared to admit to see and hear his friend like this, so obviously hurting. He wouldn't let the Hyuuga scare him away so easily, no way no how. It had been five months since _that_ situation, and Neji had just drifted further and further away from them, from him, since then. It was time for that to stop, one way or another. "I-I just want to do what I can to make it not hurt so much. That's all."

Neji didn't answer right away, his face drawn and shadowed by the setting moon. His shoulders had relaxed though, and he had allowed his head to slump forward slightly. The ANBU finally drew in a shaky breath and Shikamaru marveled at how clearly he could feel it through his hand. Neji's lips parted slightly, as though he was about to say something but hadn't chosen the words yet. Shikamaru leant forward ever so subtly, waiting. "I don't think you can." The Hyuuga whispered, drawing his knees up to his chest so that Shikamaru's arm was resting just below his left knee, still touching his hand.

* * *

**a/n**: Okay, so I got a little out of control there. 5566 words including the author's note… What can I say? Writing Hinata is just so much fun, I didn't want to stop! At least I managed to resist the urge to write another five pages for Neji and Shikamaru, but it was close. You'll just have to wait for Chapter Eleven to see what happens next with them wont you? Hopefully things wont get too messed up before then, causing me to push them back again. Unfortunately, I have managed to get them on the same rotation as Hinata, and after this, I dunno how capable I will be of keeping her next one short, and I want to do a long one for them too… -sigh- Sooner or later I am going to have to move one of them though, because some interesting things are coming, for all three of them. Not to mention the whole rest of the gang. This will be fun. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering about the timeline it goes a little something like this: 

_September 6th_: The war officially starts.

_December 29th_: Gaara is killed.

_April 27th_: Hinata and 5 Genins leave Konoha; Kiba, Iruka, and Daiki leave Konoha.

_May 1st_: Neji becomes an ANBU; Shino arrives in Konoha; Genma, Kakashi, Shizune, and Naruto are trapped in a forest; Shino poisons Sakura; Iruka realizes that Daiki has been killed; Kakashi falls unconscious; Gai and Tenten recruit a pair of ANBU; Shikamaru realizes he's falling for Neji; Shino leaves Konoha. Chapter 1: Focus, Chapter 2: Inquiry, Chapter 3: Desperation, Chapter 4: Perseverance

_May 2nd_: Shino is declared a missing-nin; Neji and Shikamaru leave Konoha; Iruka attacks Daiki's murderer, his ribs are broken; Tenten and Lee are left behind to sulk; Naruto has some shuriken practice; Kiba fights Isamu, his arm is broken when he doesn't see a trap; Gai and the ANBU return with Suzu Moriko. Chapter 5: Turmoil, Chapter 6: Resilience

_May 3rd_: Sakura wakes up; Naruto and Genma are ambushed; Sasuke appears; Gai, Lee, and Tenten are on their way back to Konoha; Iruka and Kiba are on their way back to Konoha; Shino finds Daiki's body; Naruto fights Sasuke. Chapter 7: Obscurity, Chapter 8: Calamity

_May 5th_: Hinata fights the Mist and Rain-nin, finds out the Hidden Rain has joined the war; Kaburo saves Rin from shuriken; Sakura is given a mission; Shikamaru finds Neji crying. Chapter 9: Tribulation

**Hujin**: Good to see you know that . And yeah, he is. Can't say I blame him . And you'll just have to wait and see for Shino…

**E. Vanity**: Oh don't worry I will. And it may. Or may not. I'm not telling. You'll find out in Chapter Ten what happens/ed there, don't worry.

**AvaStar**: And here it is! The timeline… Well, let's just say it's been rewritten. Nothing major changed, just when things happen. Aww, thank you!

**SNA**: They are wherever Tsunade has decided to send them… No, I know where they are, and you shall find out soon enough. Thanks!

**Esther**: Yay! It's always good to get happy feedback. And is this soon enough?


	10. Duress

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 10: Duress

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

Kakashi blinked his good eye against the blaring light shining in his face. He could feel something digging into his back, which meant he was either still lying in the middle of that damn clearing, or he had been moved somewhere equally uncomfortable.

A hand moved towards his face, and he tried to push himself backwards and away from it, but to no avail. His arms and legs were strapped down, with at least another two straps across his chest. The hand, a surgeon's hands he noticed, gently pulled the forehead protector away from his left eye. Kakashi flinched as the Sharingan opened, still sore from overuse last time.

"Shh… Don't move." The voice was quiet and soothing, a nice break from the silence that had taken over his mind since he had fallen unconscious in the forest. How long had it been since then anyway? He blinked again, the Sharingan closing momentarily as the light returned.

Kakashi opened his mouth to try and say something, but as soon as he did something soft and spongy was shoved between his teeth. He gagged as it hit the back of his throat, clamping down with his teeth to keep it from choking him. He squinted against the light, trying to see what was happening.

Something wet slopped against the side of his face and the Copy Ninja flinched, straining against the bonds. The sensation repeated itself, and what he could only hope was water trickled down into his mouth, only to be soaked up by the cloth caught between his teeth. Fingers pressed down lightly around his left eye and he could see a pen as the doctor's other hand moved down to draw lightly on his skin.

He shivered, a slight breeze chilling the liquid on his face. The pen moved away from his eye, tracing the vertical scar down his cheek. The eyelashes on his normal eye fluttered slightly as the doctor's hand brushed against them on the pen's way back up to the bright red eye. Kakashi tried to take a deep breath, to calm himself, but he may as well not have bothered. The straps across his chest limited his movement so that shallow breaths were all that he could manage.

The Copy Ninja could feel himself starting to panic when he felt the edge of a steel knife brush against his cheek bone, light enough that it didn't even leave a scratch. Where the hell was he, and why was this doctor trying to slice his face up even more? In this position he couldn't even breath properly, let alone attempt to escape, so unless someone came to rescue him, the shame of which he was willing to suffer, he was entirely at the doctor's mercy. Kakashi bit down even harder on the cloth in his mouth, wincing as the inside of his cheek got caught between his teeth. It wouldn't help anyone if he started to hyperventilate, least of all himself.

The scalpel bit into his numb skin and Kakashi fought to keep the tears out of his other eye. Before he had received this eye, the Yondaime had always been there, looking over his shoulder, just in case he made a mistake, or was overpowered. Afterwards he had never again needed saving. He had been able to rely solely on himself; thanks to the ability the Sharingan gave him that allowed him to copy the jutsus of his opponents. He had never been in a situation since that day where he couldn't win.

If this doctor took away his eye, he would have to start from the beginning again. He would still know all the jutsus he had stolen, but he wouldn't be himself anymore. He wouldn't be the famous Copy Ninja anymore, and he wouldn't be able to stand up to the Uchihas again. The last was far more worrying than the first; it would be easy enough for him to find a new image, if you could call it that, but now more than ever Konoha needed someone who would be able to fight back should the Uchiha brothers ever coma a calling again. Especially as they didn't just have Itachi to worry about now, but Sasuke too. And if those two were killed, the world would lose the Sharingan forever.

As the knife dug in deeper, tracing around the line the pen had left behind; Kakashi stopped bothering and let the tears leak out of his good eye. This was who he was, and they, whoever they was, were taking it away on what appeared to be a whim. And he couldn't even fight back.

He had never felt so helpless in his life.

Wasn't anyone going to save him?

Outside the hospital tent, in another tent not a hundred yards away, Genma could only watch through the open tent flap as men and women dressed all in white scrubs hurried in and out. He knew that Kakashi had been taken in there as soon as they arrived here, wherever here was, but not much else. Shizune, who had apparently woken up on the way here, was the only one who had seen it, and she had still been only partly lucid.

Genma turned his head away from the opening, biting his lip gently out of habit. When he had woken up, his senbon had been gone, presumably so that he couldn't use it for a weapon, which was quite ridiculous. They had been bound to this tent with chakra, and couldn't move even a step past the flaps. They could, however, watch what was happening outside, but it didn't mean much to them. All it was was a bunch of Sound-nins and medics running back and forth in every direction, some shouting orders, others rushing to obey.

They had arrived here two days ago shortly after noon, in that time Genma hadn't seen Uchiha Sasuke once. Which either meant he just didn't feel like wandering around the camp, or he had been hurt when he fought Naruto, which he obviously had if the blond curling up in the corner refusing to say even one word to them was anything to judge by. Wouldn't Tsunade be thrilled to hear about this; she was always looking for ways to keep the #1 loudest ninja quiet, silly of her, as the only thing she needed to do was bring back his ex-best friend and make them fight. So simple, and yet, so brilliant.

He scowled, obviously Naruto had lost if they were here now, but nothing else could be expected, because even if he somehow managed to fight off the dozens of Sound-nins ready to throw themselves in front of Sasuke, die for him even, he would still have to face the Uchiha. Undoubtedly, he had been stopped before he even got within a few yards of the former Leaf-nin, who had probably then decided to add insult to injury. Just so long as he hadn't used that technique…

Genma shivered, not forgetting his own experience with it. It was all thanks to Shizune that he was actually conscious now, without the medic's help he would still be out cold for sure. Though, that was far preferable to the time he had spent actually under the Uchiha's spell. Anything was better than that. The things he could make you see, it was awful. He had heard that Kakashi and Sasuke had been caught by it several years ago, but then it had been Itachi behind it.

Ignoring the scraping noise as Shizune shifted on the dirt floor somewhere behind him, Genma focused instead on the tent wall, eyes staring blankly at it. If he did this he could almost forget that Kakashi was not too far away, being operated on most likely for his Sharingan, and that there was nothing he could do about it. He could almost forget that they were trapped in an enemy camp, being held by Orochimaru's prize students. He could almost forget that the only thing they had going for them was a sick medic, a blind copy cat, a sulking loudmouth, and himself, who couldn't even bear to face reality.

It was hard, especially when a scream bit into the midday air, only to be silenced moments later. It was hard, but if he concentrated enough, he could do it.

* * *

Shino, breathing heavily, didn't manage to see the wet bark in time. Which inevitably meant he was in for a painful fall. As soon as his foot slipped out from under him, he braced himself for the moment when he would smash into the forest floor. The crash itself was unpleasant enough, but add to the fact that it pushed what little air he had out of his lungs and it went all the way from unpleasant to downright awful.

He just lay on the ground for a while, trying to get at least some oxygen to his starved brain before he passed out. Blinking his eyes a few times in a desperate attempt to keep the tears away he finally just squeezed them tightly shut. Things just kept getting worse for him. It had been two days since he had found Daiki's body. Thankfully, he had thought to go back to it only fifteen minutes after he had continued on, and taken all of the dead school teacher's explosive notes. Even more fortunate was the huge supply of them he had been carrying. Shino had been able to leave a few every half hour or so for the past two days and was still far from done.

Of course, he had no idea how much good the traps were doing him, for all he knew it was possible that not a single one had been set off by the hunter-nins, and that they were all lying in wait for some poor unsuspecting Genin. Hopefully this wasn't the case, as he knew Hinata, Ino and Choji had taken the fifteen new Genins to various Jounin camps for training, none of them anywhere near the area the hunter-nins were chasing him through.

And they were chasing him now. Honestly chasing. It was all because he hadn't thought to take Daiki's supplies with him the first time he came across the Chuunin's body, and had had to double back, thus cutting the distance between himself and the team of hunter-nins in half. Just last night he had actually caught a glimpse of who he presumed was the leader, which meant they had probably seen him too. He had picked up the pace even more since then, but knew that they had most likely done the same.

Shino couldn't even honestly say he knew he was going in the right direction. What had seemed like such an obvious thing to do, infallible even, had suddenly turned out to be a mistake. Kiba and Iruka could have turned at some point, forked off the path in pursuit of the thief; they could have already caught him and be on their way back to Konoha even as he lay here, struggling just to catch his breath.

So here he was, winded on the forest floor, with Kiba either getting further away or heading home, and a team of hunter-nins on his tail because he had poisoned one of his friends. Well, inasmuch as he had the right to call Sakura his friend anymore, it was doubtful she still considered him as such. But that really didn't matter right now; what matter was that Kiba could be going back to Konoha, and if he tried to follow, he'd be killed.

When had this gotten so out of control? Only five days ago he had been in Konoha himself, having just returned from a mission. And then, well, things had just been on a downward spiral since then. First, he had found out Kiba had left again a mere four days prior to his own arrival, then Tsunade had refused to let him go after the Inuzuka, and had given him another mission. And then… He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter, ignoring the tear that leaked out. And then he had decided that the only way to fix this all was poison Sakura.

Tsunade would let him come back, she would have to. She needed the shinobi, and she needed lots of them. This war would never be won without fighters, and every time Konoha lost one, things got just a little more desperate. And lately it seemed like they were just dropping like flies. It wasn't like he had even killed anyone, which was more than he could say for some missing-nins. He had just poisoned, and it probably wasn't even going to have any lasting affects. Of course, it could also have killed her instantly, in which case he was lucky the Godaime hadn't just sent a squad of ANBU after him and washed her hands of the problem.

Shino opened his eyes, almost afraid of what he would see above him. Thankfully, the forest was quite desolate, empty except for him. He didn't even hear the chatter of birds and other small animals. It was most likely they had all been scared of by the wave of fighting that had gone through here not too long ago. He had fought here then himself actually, most of them had. It had been a large front, and they hadn't had a choice but to pour all their strength into stopping the forward motion of the Sound, leaving all other angles open for attack.

The forest had been a lot colder then, the air carrying the icy chill of winter. Konoha focusing all of its fighters into this one spot _had_ had repercussions. The Sand had also sent most of its shinobi here, leaving their village nigh unguarded, except for the Kazekage, who had been waiting for messengers from Sand-nin who had infiltrated the village of the Mist, and a few guards.

When the messengers arrived they had found both the Kazekage and his guards dead. The same messengers had then run to Konoha to warn Tsunade, leaving behind the bodies.

Neji still hadn't forgiven them for that.

* * *

When they returned to Konoha, the atmosphere was far different from when they had left; both Iruka and Kiba noticed that immediately. Not only were the villagers more tense, jumpy even, but there were ANBU stationed at the gates, where none had been before. Whatever had gone wrong, it must have been a big deal for ANBU to be in a position like that.

The first place they went was the Godaime's office, not only to hand over the scroll they had recovered but to find out what on earth was going on in the hidden village. Kiba was practically dancing on the spot by the time they were outside her office, waiting to be admitted. Iruka smiled at the Chuunin's excitement; at least it let him forget about his broken arm even if only for a little while. Unfortunately, nothing could make him forget his broken ribs, his first stop after here would be to the hospital to get them looked after. Fortunately he wouldn't be given the job of speaking to Daiki's family; he just didn't know what to say in a situation like that.

Besides, he hadn't forgotten what Neji had done to the messengers from the Sand; if at all possible he would like to avoid meeting a similar fate. That didn't mean he wouldn't visit them to pay his respects once the news had actually had a chance to sink in; he wasn't heartless yet, unlike some of the other shinobi he knew. Of course, in this line of work, sometimes it was better to be heartless, then you didn't have to go through the pain and agony that inevitably followed the battles they fought, or their friends and family fought.

When at last the door opened, from the inside no less, and what appeared to be a much harried messenger hurried out, Kiba practically threw himself through the soundproofed doors. Iruka followed at a slightly more reasonable speed, but not forgetting that the sooner he was done here, the sooner something could be done for his poor ribs, which he was sure were about to start disintegrating any minute now.

The first thing he noticed was how tired Tsunade looked. The second thing he noticed was the look of horror that flashed in the Godaime's eyes when she saw Kiba, before she pushed it away to greet them in her usual calm fashion. "Iruka-kun, Kiba-kun, is Daiki-kun not with you?" Iruka knew that when only two of them had walked into her office Tsunade had already known Daiki's fate, but she wouldn't ever presume that one of her shinobi was dead, not if there was even the slightest chance that she was wrong.

"No, Hokage-sama." Iruka replied, stepping forward to bow in front of her desk. "He was killed by a shinobi of the Hidden Sound, Kiyoshi Isamu, who also killed our thief. Kiba-kun and I fought and killed him, also recovering the stolen scroll that he had taken from the thief. My ribs and Kiba's arm were broken in the process, and we were unable to recover Daiki-san's body. We aren't sure why Kiyoshi murdered the thief, who was from the Hidden Mist, an ally of the Sound."

Tsunade's mouth twisted into a thin line, and she made a note on a paper lying on her desk. "Alright, thank you Iruka. I will have someone notify the deceased's family, unless you would like to do it yourself?" Iruka wondered why she even bothered to ask, it was doubtful that anyone had ever answered that question with the affirmative; shinobi faced death enough without having to try to explain it to civilians.

"Ah, Hokage-sama?" Kiba asked, moving forward until he was standing abreast with Iruka. "Is Shino-san still in the village, or has he already left on another mission?" The hopeful look on his face broke Tsunade's heart, and she wished she could just tell him his boyfriend was here, waiting for him.

She wondered how she was going to tell him this, if there was anyway she could justify what he had done, make it a little easier for him. There wasn't, there just wasn't. And thanks to the messenger that had arrived moments before the two Chuunins, she got to drop two bombshells on him at once. It had been this kind of thing that had broken Neji; was she prepared to lose another? Tsunade sighed, ashamed she had even thought of lying to the Inuzuka. "He- he's not here Kiba-kun. He has been declared a missing-nin; as of four nights ago." She paused, watching the shock and horror register on the Chuunin's face. "A team of hunter-nins has been dispatched. I-I'm sorry."

"Hunter-nins?" He whispered, the blood draining out of his face. "_Hunter-nins_? After _Shino_?" Kiba stared into her eyes, his own horribly blank. When he spoke again, his voice was so strained she nearly missed what he was saying. "What did he do?"

* * *

**a/n**: It's so short! I can't believe it! Oh, and before you try and kill me, let me explain… Yes, I cut out the fight between Sasuke and Naruto. You don't get to see it. But I should hope it would be pretty obvious that there was no way Naruto was going to get near Sasuke then. And again, before you murder me, there **_WILL_** be a Sasuke vs. Naruto fight, a big one. Just not yet. So please, don't kill me. For the Kakashi torture either please...

**Hujin**: Really? Maybe I'll do something special then. Again, SORRY I DIDN'T SHOW THE FIGHT… -hides-

**Bunch-o-Nuts**: Of course, as soon as someone wants a long chapter, I can't deliver. –sigh- The next one will be longer, don't worry, this one was just kinda awkward because I didn't have a lot of time if I wanted to post it on schedule, and I have a math test tomorrow… Which I'm going to fail because I didn't study so that you all could have this chapter! So please! Focus on that, not the lack of the fight…

**E. Vanity**: Good to know you see it that way . Soon enough for you?

**Smoking Panda**-hides again- I'm sorry! Uh, maybe? –chants- there will be a fight; there will be a fight… Good to know Hinata is delightfully OOC, much better than dreadfully OOC… And I love Shino/Kiba too, can you tell? –sighs- I love long reviews almost as much…

**AvaStar**: Of course it works for you, anything that will keep me telling you stuff for help is good in your books…

**Esther**: You would hate one of the endings I considered. You all would. Just be glad I decided not to use it . –hides yet again- there will be a fight, please don't hurt me!


	11. Melancholy

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 11: Melancholy

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

Hinata didn't want to open her eyes that morning. The only thing waiting was a sore, bandaged shoulder, and a waking nightmare. She and the Genins had returned to Konoha late yesterday night. They had first gone to the Jounin camp, but Hinata knew that Tsunade needed to be informed of Hotaka Kaburo's death, along with his family. Also, this meant that the rest of the Genins would be called back to Konoha, so that they could be divided into their teams now, instead of in two weeks from now.

Hinata wasn't so sure she was suitable to be a team leader anymore. Under her watch she had let one of her Genins _die_, and they had only been facing three enemies. Who was to say she wouldn't be put into situations with her team where they were up against ten enemy shinobi, or twenty? Tsunade had tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, that there was no way she could have been prepared for that, but it didn't matter. The fact remained that twelve year-old boys were not supposed to die.

And he had died doing what _she_ was supposed to do. He had protected his teammate from being killed, at the cost of his own life; he had been doing what a shinobi was supposed to do. Hinata opened her eyes, sighing. She lay on her back, staring at the white ceiling of her room. She had slept in this same room for her entire life; it seemed to be the only constant in a rapidly changing world. She couldn't even count on her family to stay the same.

She had to get up sometime; the other Genins would be arriving in the afternoon, with Ino and Choji as well. Tsunade had sent out two messengers, one to each camp, as soon as Hinata had told her what happened. She wanted to have them in their teams by this evening, so that they could begin training together tomorrow. Hinata hadn't been able to find her voice to protest. She wasn't ready for this yet; the Godaime had to see that. It would be better for the Genins if Tsunade just assigned the job to someone else, someone who would be able to take care of them until they could do it themselves. Hinata wasn't that person.

Besides, they were one Genin short now, so couldn't two teams just have four members instead of the traditional three? That would free up one more Chuunin on a list that was getting tragically short. The most recent version had been edited even since she had been away at the Jounin Camp. It was hard to believe that Aburame Shino, of all people, was a missing-nin. She hadn't seen Kiba since she had returned, but apparently he had also gotten back yesterday, and heard the same thing she had.

Tsunade had told asked her to keep an eye on him, when she got the chance, but Hinata was reluctant to even go near him. She had tried to comfort Neji, after Gaara's death, but soon learned that the last thing her cousin wanted was someone following him around, constantly asking him if he was alright, when it was so painfully obvious that he wasn't. It would probably be better if they just let him deal with it on his own, not crowd him and all that.

Hinata sat up reluctantly when a clock alarm went off, signaling to anyone in the room (only her) that it was two. She had to be back in the Hokage's office at two-thirty, which meant she only had fifteen minutes to get ready before she had to leave if she wanted to even be close to being on time. When had it gotten so late anyway? This was the first time in several years she had actually slept in, but she really shouldn't be so surprised. Only yesterday she had had to fight not only for her life but for the lives of five children. Just because she failed didn't mean she wasn't tired.

She swung her legs of the side of the bed, flinching as they hit the cold floor. It may have been May, but this part of the house had always been colder than the rest, for no apparent reason. Rotating her wounded shoulder carefully, Hinata considered the bandage. It had bled for a while directly after the needle had pierced it, but had stopped once she actually paid it enough attention to wrap it. It had bled a little during the night when she had tossed and turned, but not enough for her to want to bother with changing the bandage.

Pushing her blankets away, Hinata stood up on shaky legs. Stumbling slightly, she worked her way across her room to the closet. It wasn't the wound that was making her tremble, well, at least not the physical one; it wasn't even serious enough for Tsunade to waste chakra on to heal it. Given a day or two her shoulder would be as good as new, which was good because she didn't need that on top of the incident at the Jounin Camp to make her look weak in front of her students. She could only pray the Godaime gave her the two-man team.

Hinata pulled her pajamas over her head, wincing as her shoulder pulled. She put on a pair of knee length tan shorts, a long sleeved mesh shirt, and a tan vest. Bending down to wrap a bandage around her thigh to put her shuriken pouch on, she caught sight of a large purple bruise on her lower back, and it most likely ran up to about her neck as well. Well wasn't that just wonderful? It was definitely from when she had attacked the remaining shinobi yesterday, the one who had killed Kaburo. He had managed to get her into a hold and had slammed her back against a tree. Fortunately this had given her a chance to land a blow directly on his heart, killing him easily.

She ignored the pain as the bruise was stretched, first rolling the bandage out around her right short leg, then taking two others and wrapping them around her calves. Securing these with black bands and attaching her shuriken pouch, Hinata straightened up. Ten minutes left, giving her time to grab an apple or something after she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Of course, that meant she would have to sprint all the way to the Hokage's office, but she hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday, and Tsunade probably wouldn't be thrilled if she arrived there on time only to keel over a few minutes later.

Sighing, Hinata pushed her door open and stepped into the washroom. The cold water felt amazing on her face, and her teeth had desperately needed cleaning as she had been far too wiped out last night to even bother with personal hygiene. She had literally changed and fallen into bed. Even that had almost been too much effort, but her clothes had been bloodstained, dirt stained, and torn, and sleeping in them wouldn't have been too comfortable. Five minutes before she absolutely had to leave, hopefully the refrigerator wasn't totally empty.

Hinata arrived in the Godaime's office with two minutes to spare, amazingly enough. Of course, she spent those minutes trying to catch her breath, hanging onto the wall for dear life. Tsunade thankfully hadn't commented, but let her take her time. Ino, Choji, Jirosa and Nanashi were already here, along with all of the Genins. Hinata, once she could stand unaided again, noticed that her four looked significantly more downcast than the others. Understandable, considering what they had been through yesterday. It was the first, and definitely not the last, time any of them had seen a teammate and friend die in front of them.

Tsunade coughed softly, commanding the attention of everyone in the room immediately. "If you're all ready?" She waited for them to nod before continuing. "Good, then it's time to place you fourteen into your teams. There will, unfortunately, be one team of two, on account of the death of Hotaka Kaburo. These five will be your leaders; Maruki Jirosa, Rohku Nanashi, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and," she paused for moment. "Hyuuga Hinata. I've divided you by skill level, so that each team is approximately equal in overall strength. The two-man team is made up of the two strongest Genins, and the strongest instructor, as they will always be short one person." Hinata sighed, looked like she wouldn't be getting the smaller team then, not if it was going to the strongest of the five of them.

"Team One, team leader: Akimichi Choji, team members: Akiji Sumiko, Nobu Daichi, and Rendetta Ichiro. Team Two, team leader: Maruki Jirosa, team members: Hachiro Jiro, Minoru Shiro, Taro Kazuko. Team Three, team leader: Rohku Nanashi, team members: Akamu Yori, Kenichi Momoko, Nibori Kohaku. Team Four, team leader: Yamanaka Ino, team members: Akio Rin, Sho Michi, Yoshiro Kori. And last, but not least, Team Five. Team leader: Hyuuga Hinata, team members: Katsuo Takumi and Ryota Kin."

As soon as the Godaime stopped talking, the Genins started chattering amongst themselves; the five team leaders just sort of stood there, slightly shell shocked. None of them had expected Tsunade to pronounce _Hinata_ as the strongest of them, least of all Hinata herself. Finally Ino pasted a smile on her face and clapped the Hyuuga on the shoulder. "Well congratulations then Hinata. Have fun with your monsters, okay?" Hinata gave her a weak smile in return, wishing she had the same enthusiasm as the Genins.

Tsunade again called the room to attention, this time by rapping her knuckles against the wooden surface of her desk. The team leaders stood at attention immediately, the Genins following suit only a few seconds after. "You have two days to get acquainted with each other, make your fighting styles mesh, and hopefully pick up a new trick or two. On the third day, May 8th, I assign you your first mission. Team One, be here at seven, Team Two, seven thirty, Team Three, eight, Team Four, eight thirty, and Team Five, be here at nine. Be prepared to leave Konoha from there. That is all, Genins, find your team leader, and go where they tell you; I will see you all in two days."

* * *

It was Lee who saw Sakura first; Sakura, and an ANBU. The taijutsu genius sighed, no matter where he went he couldn't escape the elite shinobi, might as well stop trying. Maybe that reverse formula he used in the Chuunin Selection Exam would work here as well. When the pink haired kunoichi was about two hundred yards off she raised one arm above her head to give them an energetic wave. Lee smiled, and waved back, ignoring, or maybe just not seeing, the look Tenten gave him.

"Hello Sakura-san!" Lee called, his voice carrying across the flat of the field. "What brings you out here?" He wasn't too surprised to see her, the road they were on was one of the main ones in and out of Konoha, and the one most people used when traveling in this general direction, whether they were leaving the hidden village, like Sakura appeared to be, or just arriving, like Lee, Gai, Tenten, and Moriko.

"Who's that?" Moriko asked from her position under Gai's arm, a kind of half sneer on her face. "Looks kind of weak, fruity even." Lee turned to face the Sound-nin, scowling, but Gai interrupted before he could hurt their prisoner. They need to give her to Ibiki before he started torturing his own men and women out of boredom. The Jounin waved a finger in Moriko's face, grinning.

"You're welcome to test that theory of course, but it's probably not worth your time, seeing as I can tell you that that weakling trained directly under the Godaime herself. And I'm sure you're aware that our Hokage is no weakling." Moriko fell silent, watching Sakura with a wary eye, like many people did when they learned who had taught her most of what she knew, as the girl approached.

Sakura and her ANBU guard, wearing white and bird's mask, halted in front of the team. "Hello Lee-san, Tenten-chan, and Gai-sensei. This your prisoner? Ah, stupid question. Of course she is." Sakura stopped chatting long enough to waggle her fingers in the direction of the Sound-nin before continuing. "Tsunade-sama sent me to fix her up then ANBU-san will take her back to Konoha and give her to Ibiki, I'm meant to come back with you, fix up your wounds as well on the way."

Gai dropped Moriko onto the path, gesturing at her with the arm that had previously been keeping her from running away. "She's all yours Sakura-chan, don't go to rough on her." Sakura smiled, kneeling besides the Sound-nin, who had thankfully had enough sense not to try and make a break for it when there were this many other shinobi around. One could argue that Orochimaru didn't exactly employ the cream of the crop brains wise for lowly foot soldiers, but they knew when to shut up and sit still in the name of self preservation.

"Sakura-chan, what's the news from Konoha?" Tenten asked while the pink haired girl went to work on Moriko. They had been away from the hidden village for a month and three weeks now, and for all they knew the town could have been moved a mile below ground. Sakura frowned, concentrating on a bruise on the Sound-nin's collarbone before replying. "Have, ah, the lists been updated since we were gone?"

Sakura flinched, something that didn't go unnoticed by any of the three; the ANBU didn't even appear to be paying attention to them, instead watching somewhere off on the horizon. "Yes, they have. A few times actually. Kiba's back from his latest mission now, with Iruka-sensei, but their third team member was killed, Daiki-sensei, remember him? And just yesterday a Genin died at one of the Jounin Camps, one of the ones Hinata-chan was doing preliminary training for before they were split into their teams. And, er, Shino."

"Shino-kun was killed!" Lee exclaimed, leaning forward so that he could hear Sakura better. She shook her head, and they all gave her confused looks.

"No, no, he's not dead yet." The other three flinched at her use of the word yet, and Moriko hissed in pain as Sakura apparently applied a bit too much pressure to what appeared to be a broken rib. "Sorry about that." Sakura said vaguely, moving on to a set of stab wounds in her shoulder, presumably from shuriken. "Beat her up enough Gai?" She asked, hands working quickly and efficiently, proof of her demanding training with the Godaime. "Shino, Shino is a missing-nin."

Gai was the first one to recover from this, and shifted his weight to the other side, accidentally crushing two of Moriko's fingers in the process. Sakura clicked her tongue against her teeth impatiently and touched her own hand to the Sound-nin's now broken one, healing it easily. "Could you repeat that please Sakura-chan? I could have sworn you said that Shino was a missing-nin, we've been away for a long time, tired and all that, you know how it is."

Sakura shook her head. "I don't doubt that you're tired Gai-sensei, but you heard me correctly. He left the village on May 1st, after poisoning me. Since then he's killed two hunter-nins and Kurenai-sensei."

* * *

"Neji, did you hear that?" Shikamaru whispered, casting a furtive glance over his left shoulder into the woods behind them. They had left their camp this morning, neither of them getting much sleep after that. Scuffing out their fire had been easy enough, and they had headed across the field, deciding to stay out in what limited sun there was rather than hide under the cover of the trees. They _had_ stayed parallel to the forest the entire time, only a few yards away from the tall trees and shadowy corners, just in case.

Turning to look at the Jounin, Neji shook his head. "I didn't hear it, but I see something. There, where you're looking, there's a shadow. Can you see it?" Mimicking the Hyuuga, Shikamaru shook his head, focusing harder on the row of trees only about twenty yards back. Sensing a concentration of chakra, Shikamaru smiled slightly, still keeping his own eyes on the forests. He really envied the Hyuuga clan and their Byakugan, especially in situations like this one.

"Can you see what it is?" He asked, straining to see something, anything. He knew they were just making targets of themselves, standing here out in the open like this, but it wasn't like they would be any better off if they kept walking. The fact remained that there was something in the forest, most likely someone actually, and it was following them. Too keep walking would be counter-productive, maybe Neji could see all the way behind him, but Shikamaru didn't want to be caught unawares. Glancing up, Shikamaru scowled at all the clouds in the sky. Usually he loved to just lay back and watch the fluffy white clouds float across the sky, but today they would just limit his ability to perform the _kage mane_.

"A shinobi." was Neji's calm reply. "Actually, five shinobi. Three from the Sound, and two from…" He fell silent, his blank white eyes straining to see clearly through the shadows. "Shikamaru, how long have we been at war with the Hidden Rain for?" Shikamaru turned his head slowly so that he could the Hyuuga standing behind him. A look of pure disbelief had spread across his face, but when he saw the solemnity of Neji's expression, it quickly changed to horror. Calmly, levelly, Neji continued. "You only returned from your last mission a week ago, correct? Do you have enough chakra to use your _kage mane_ on five enemies?"

Watching the ANBU carefully, Shikamaru calculated quickly in his head. "Enough to give you six minutes, no more, maybe less. And it's cloudy today, so it would take an amazing stroke of luck, of which neither of us has much, for nothing to block the sun and cause it to fail. If possible, I would like to avoid using it; it's too much of an unknown in a situation such as ours."

Neji nodded, still watching the woods intently. "Obviously they know we've spotted them, they must just be waiting to see what we do in response to this knowledge before they attack. I can't tell what level they are at, but if there are only five, we should at least have a fighting chance. However, I think we'll have a better chance if we wait for them to come to us."

"No. I need the shadows cast by the trees in the forest. I have… Another technique. It doesn't require as much chakra as the _kage mane_; and it certainly has its uses. And if the sun is covered it's that much better." He had pinned down one of the shadows with his eyes and was following it as it moved around in the trees behind them. They should be able to get under the cover of the forest before they were attacked, if they went now. But first, there was something he had to say. "Neji, when we're in the forest, it will be easier for them to target your blind spot. Don't hesitate to use _Kaiten_, even if I'm in range. I'll use _kawarimi_; or something to that effect. Just…" He paused, shrugging his shoulders slightly in a somewhat helpless gesture. "Don't hesitate."

He ignored the look Neji was giving him, squared his shoulders, took a deep breath; and felt his concentration shatter when a slender hand slipped into his. And as they walked into the shadowy forest, hand in hand, they didn't see the shadows that had leapt into action to arrive there before them. They didn't see the flash of pale flesh against the dark of the trees as hands hurried to be prepared. They didn't see the glint of steel as kunai were pulled out of holsters and umbrellas were lifted off of armored shoulders.

They heard the voice though. "Isn't that touching?" They heard it because it was directly followed by a short burst of flame, and only Neji's reflexes, pushing Shikamaru down and rolling away himself; kept them from being turned into barbeque. They were both on their feet before the second fire ball even had time to materialize, Neji throwing the short sword he had been trained with prior to being accepted into the ranks of the ANBU in the direction the first had come from, not intending for it to actually do any damage, just put the caster off balance so that they would have time to recover their own.

Shikamaru quickly formed a relatively long set of hand seals, his hands a pale blur in the shadows. "_Kage mane bunshin no jutsu_!" From the shadows beside him rose three vaguely human shapes, two dimensional and as black as pitch. Their hands had long tapered fingers, meant for the sole purpose of strangling the life out of anything in their grasp; their eyes were shadows upon shadows, indeterminable from the rest of the body. Separating themselves from the shadows they had been brought forth from, the shadow clones advanced on the enemy shinobi, targeting them easily even though Shikamaru couldn't have seen them if his life had depended on it.

He recognized immediately the dark shape against the sky as an umbrella, but it took Neji's warning, yelled from across the clearing, for him to see it as a threat. And then it started raining needles. A bright glow of chakra from Neji's direction, and the needles flying away from there, told Shikamaru everything he needed to know without having to remove his attention from where it was needed; right here. Throwing himself behind a tree, ducking low beneath its bottom branch, he managed to avoid all but three of the needles.

The Jounin winced, pulling the metal slivers out one after another, watching the blood drip down them with a kind of morbid fascination. But he couldn't let himself be distracted, or he'd soon be dead. It was right about then that he noticed the face only inches from his. "AH-mph." A hand clamped itself over his mouth, stopping the surprised shriek that had escaped from between his treacherous lips.

"Shh now," the Sound-nin said, recognizable as such from the forehead protector draped nonchalantly around his neck. "We don't want to bring your pretty little boyfriend running." About to snarl a reply, Shikamaru realized it would be far more productive to just bit down on the hand, in a reaction vaguely reminiscent of Kiba and Akamaru. Swearing, the other shinobi elbowed the Jounin in the gut, but the hand that remained over his mouth stopped his grunt from emerging. Shikamaru could hear sounds of struggle out in the forest, but did not bother trying to turn and see what was happening; the Sound-nin had a tight hold on him. Which was going to make this all the worse for him.

Or it would have if Shikamaru had reacted in time to stop the hand with a damp white cloth in its grasp from replacing the hand over his mouth, extending to also cover his nose. The shadowy hand that had been inching up the Sound-nin's back towards his neck speed backwards, returning to its original form. And elsewhere in the clearing, the three shadow clones appeared to melt back into the shadows they had come from. And the Rain-nin they had been holding down used this chance to get Hyuuga Neji in much the same way when he didn't see the retreat of the shadows quick enough to stop his forward movement, straight into the waiting arms of the enemy.

* * *

**a/n**: Well, here it is, only what, two days late? –sigh– I'm sorry, but I didn't manage to get this finished on Wednesday night, which meant I couldn't post it on Thursday morning, and _then_ I had to go to night school on Thursday evening because I'm graduating a year early, so I couldn't post it on Thursday night or Friday morning. So I typed it as soon as I got home today (Friday), and hopefully will have Friday's chapter by tonight or tomorrow morning. Of course, I then have a Peace Conference until 4 in the afternoon on Saturday, so Saturday's chapter will be up either that night or the next morning, and then I have a lot of homework to do, so hopefully Sunday's chapter will be up that night, and then Monday's on time. And then it starts all over again, as I have night school on Monday's too. –sigh– This is going to be interesting…

**Smoking Panda**: Glad to see none of you want to kill me… Too badly anyway. Aww, thank you! And yes, I feel sorry for Kiba too. Not to mention Shino, Naruto, Kakashi, Genma, Shizune, Tsunade, Sakura, Lee, Gai, Tenten, Neji, Shikamaru, Hinata… Need I go on?

**Dameus**: Ah, but you forget, all they need to do is hold him still for a second, and then Sasuke steps in with the Mangekyou Sharingan… Twice a day remember.

**E. Vanity**: End with a tragedy? What would make you think that! –shifty eyes–

**Hujin**: Me too. Though, I always loved Neji, so that doesn't really count does it? And he does. For a while. But I just can't resist the temptation to make them suffer, y'know?

**Bunch-o-Nuts**: Thanks! I did… Decently. Okay, no I didn't. I got an 87. –sigh– My math teacher was like O.o… Anyway, glad you liked it! Even with the lack-of-fightiness and the Kakashi torture…


	12. Arduous

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 12: Arduous

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

It had been a day and already the Chuunin was back in her office, demanding to be allowed to go and bring his boyfriend back. Tsunade hated to admit it, but she had been hoping for at least two more days of peace until the boy got over his original shock and decided to do something about the problem at hand. She appeared to have forgotten how exceptional these kids were, hopefully something she wouldn't do again. Of course, it would be worse if she forgot that they were still only kids, something she had done several times in the past. Every time that happened, the consequences were a little bit worse.

"I- I can't let you do that Inuzuka-kun." If there was one good thing this war had done for her it was make her more sensitive to other people's feelings. She wasn't a saint, that was for sure, but she had learned not to laugh at others' pain. But she wasn't going to give in here, it just wasn't an option. She needed every single Chuunin she had left; she couldn't afford to let even one more go. Of course, she would have to be careful who she sent with Kiba on missions, it would have to be someone who could keep him in line. If Shino could resort to drastic measures to get away, Kiba damn well wouldn't even hesitate. "I need the Chuunins here, guarding the village, or out on missions."

Kiba glared at her, the emotion having returned to his eyes full force. "So then wouldn't you like to have one more?" Tsunade hesitated for a second, considering how best to word her answer so that the Chuunin wouldn't attack her.

"I do, but I can't. He's a missing-nin now Kiba, he can't just come back and pretend like nothing ever happened." There was a look of pure indignation on Kiba's face when she dared to look at him again; what was so wrong with that she was presumably about to find out. She felt bad, she did, but it just couldn't work; the council would never approve, not to mention the Aburame would be shunned by the village. It was along the same lines as inviting Uchiha Itachi back with open arms, though obviously no where near as drastic.

He bit his lip, wondering how wise it would be to yell at the Hokage, but decided rather quickly that he didn't care. "But you were willing to bring Sasuke back, against his will, and pretend that he _hadn't_ tried to join your old teammate, your greatest enemy? What makes Shino so different? Is he not worth as much to the village?"

"That-that was different Kiba. There were extreme circumstances-"

"And there aren't now!" Kiba's voice was disgusted, pleading, angry, and desperate all in one. His eyes were feverish and wild, his face flushed. Looking at him now Tsunade wouldn't have recognized him as the brash and carefree little boy he had once been. But those days were long gone now weren't they? They were all changing and she hadn't noticed. Or she had noticed, but she hadn't really registered it, hadn't wanted to believe it. Which was understandable, why, when she could remember the innocent, cheerful children they had been, would she ever want to wake up and face the reality of what they were now? But she would have to do it sometime, or they were all going to die and she would be left wondering what had happened to all the little children she had known, where they had gone.

"He-he killed Yuuhi Kurenai Kiba. I didn't tell you that before because I-I didn't want you to shatter, to break. But he killed her Kiba, his teacher, your teacher. It's not just him running away anymore, it's him _murdering_. He can't- you can't…" Her voice trailed off.

She really couldn't bear to lose just one more.

* * *

Anko sighed, the Jounins had been supposed to meet her here on May 2nd, yet it was already dusk on May 6th and they were no where in sight, and probably weren't even on their way. She had sent a messenger off to Tsunade on the 4th, so the Godaime had probably already received it, and called off their attack on the Sound. Anko wished now that she hadn't bothered to send that message to Konoha, what Tsunade didn't know couldn't hurt her, and as long as Anko and the ANBU were successful, there was no reason for her to ever learn about it. But she had gone and done the right thing, maybe, if she thought too much into it, because she still felt guilty.

She would like to think not, but it was hard. At least she knew now that she was quite prepared to kill Orochimaru, if the opportunity was to arise, and she had been for sometime. That helped to lift some of the guilt, helped her to smile when the ANBU asked her questions about Orochimaru, helped her to close her eyes again and breathe deeply when she lay awake at night, paralyzed with fear at what they planned to do. Perhaps it was because she was afraid that the Godaime had chosen her for this mission.

"Anko-san! Your messenger has returned! He carries orders from the Hokage." It was one of the ANBU she was working with that had yelled for her, the other kunoichi was pleasant enough, and a damn hard worker, so it wasn't hard for Anko to like her, even befriend her. And it was always nice to have another woman to talk to, especially when away for so long. Not like she had anything to go back to.

Sighing, Anko got to her feet, stretching and yawning. She had been on guard detail last night, from midnight until four, and she hadn't been able to sleep again since then, what with things always popping up whenever she thought she might be able to squeeze in a short catnap. Shuffling across the room she flipped the lock across, opening regretfully to reveal the messenger and the three ANBU who had collected to hear their new orders. Narrowing her eyes slightly, but realizing she couldn't exactly turn them away, even if she was reluctant to have dirt tracked across her makeshift bedroom, she waved them in, wondering if they would all even fit.

"Alright, let's have it." Anko said to the messenger, knowing Tsunade wouldn't ever send orders like these written down, instead giving a verbal message for the messenger to memorize. She hadn't bothered for her own message, as it only spoke of the four being late, nothing too sensitive. She settled back onto her bed, leaving the ANBU to stand awkwardly near the door. The messenger fidgeted for a moment before complying, apparently uncomfortable under such close scrutiny. Anko smirked, watching the man twist his hands nervously.

"Ah, the revered Hokage would like you to abort your current mission. It has become too risky, even for shinobi of your caliber. She instead requests that the ANBU separate into their usual teams; and one will go with Anko-san to find the four missing Jounins and return to Konoha with them, the others will split up and attack the enemy shinobi at any of the co-ordinates she wrote here." He paused to dig a miniscule scrap of paper out of a pouch, and handed it to Anko, who read it, memorized it, and tore it in half. The man flinched. "Hokage-sama would like this to start immediately, and wants the four in question home as soon as humanely possible, or sooner. She said that no risk was too big, and, I hope you understand what this means, because I haven't a clue, she said, verbatim, 'if it's Sasuke, don't let Naruto near him. Don't let them fight, and don't let Naruto even try to do _that_.' And that's all."

"That's the Kyuubi kid right?" Nori, the female ANBU asked, glancing at Anko for confirmation. When she nodded, Nori continued. "Do you understand what she means by that Anko? I haven't got a clue." The other two ANBU agreed, turning to face the Special Jounin, unabashed question in their gazes. If there was anything to be said about ANBU it was that they weren't much concerned with how outsiders viewed them. Within their own ranks however, was an entirely different story, the rivalry these elite had was almost unbelievable. But they felt no shame, no embarrassment in being so blatantly obvious about what they wanted in front of someone who was not a member of their group. The same could be said for Tsunade's messenger, who also wanted an answer, judging by the way he was staring along with them, waiting expectantly.

Anko sighed, what was it Nara Shikamaru said all the time? Oh, right, how troublesome. "He and Uchiha were teammates as Genins, friends I guess, probably the first either of them ever had. Anyway, when Uchiha left, it was Naruto who went after him, nearly getting killed in the process. As soon as he recovered, he wanted to go after Sasuke again, bring him home, but Jiraiya-sama talked him out of it, for the time being. He's never forgotten it though, and Tsunade-sama knows that Naruto would take any chance to have Uchiha back in Konoha." She shrugged. "It's the kind of betrayal you don't forget easily I guess."

"Is he going to make this more difficult for us if it _is_ Uchiha?" Nori asked, speaking for everyone in the room. Anko didn't have an answer this time, at least not one they would want to hear. She didn't voice the unnecessary, if it was Sasuke, they were going to have enough trouble on their own with Naruto adding to it. And they didn't even know what kind of condition the four were in, for all they knew they could be dead or incapacitated. Hopefully Shizune was in a position where she could heal them, but that was doubtful. For them to actually be captured, if that was the case, there would have had to be some damn extreme circumstances.

She didn't know if they would be able to both take down a ton of Sound-nin and/or Mist-nin and carry out four broken bodies, and as much as she hated to admit it, if they had actually been captured, that was most likely what they would find. But Tsunade had said it herself, no risk was too great, they were to exercise no caution, take no precautions, hold nothing back for later, and use anything and everything they had to bring the Jounins home.

The fact remained, however, that these four were the last people she would ever have expected to have to go to the rescue of.

* * *

Shino didn't know how long he had been running for anymore. It could have been an hour, a week, or a year. He didn't know, and he was finding it hard to care. All he had wanted when he left Konoha was to see Kiba again, but that was getting less and less likely with every step he took. The hunter-nins were closing steadily, sooner or later he would actually have to fight them as opposed to running. When that time came he wasn't sure how well he would do. It was doubtful he would win though, it would take something near to a miracle for that to happen.

And even if he was in a position where he could win, would he be prepared to kill? Shino just didn't know anymore. He knew there were fewer hunter-nins than they had started out with, but he had no idea where the others had gone. For all he knew they could have gone back to Konoha, or found another fight, a more important one. They could have done any number of things, could even be setting up an ambush for him, while he worried.

Or they could be dead. It was a possibility that he wasn't ready to rule out, but one he didn't want to consider. He had to though, because that would dictate whether he laid anymore traps for the hunter-nins, or just ran, hoping that that would be enough. It all came down to how desperate he was didn't it? If he stopped now, he would be killed, no questions asked. If he kept running, and they caught up to him, he would be killed, without hesitation. And if he kept running and left behind a trap or two, they _would_ catch up to him, and there would be no mercy. Of course, with the last option, he had a better chance of getting away, but no chance of ever returning to Konoha.

If only he had known that that option was already closed, it would have made this decision a lot easier, it would have made him feel a lot less guilty when he decided. It would have made it easier for him to separate himself from what he was doing, and tell himself that it was in the name of self preservation, even as he laid the traps that would hopefully catch, and kill, those chasing him.

He didn't want to think about Kiba anymore. It felt… When he did this, it felt like he was betraying the brunette, like every time he took a step further away, or laid a trap, and thought about him at the same time, he was letting Kiba down. And he didn't want to do that, the exact opposite was the reason he was here in the first place. He didn't want this to be betrayal, he didn't want it to have been the wrong decision, he didn't want to realize there were consequences.

So it was just easier not to think about Kiba.

Shino would have liked to think he would get a happy ending, he would liked to have think that he would be allowed back into his life, no questions asked, he would have liked to think that someday he would be able to forget this ever happened. He would have liked to think all these things, and imagine they were true, but his treacherous mind wouldn't let him lie to himself, it didn't have room in it for false hope when every thought needed to be focused on just getting away, until he could think of a way to convince the hunter-nins not to kill him.

He also knew that they were gaining on him even more than before, spurred on by something. He thought he might know what the something was. He would have so dearly liked to be ignorant, oh how he wished he could have been. But he knew, deep down, that those two hunter-nins hadn't turned back, or branched off from the others. There was no point in lying to himself, in letting himself relax. They were dead, or seriously injured, and it was his fault, it was his traps that had done that.

So Shino kept running, ignoring the pain in his legs and chest. To stop now was suicide, but he wasn't sure how much further he could go. It was getting later and later, soon he wouldn't be able to see where he was going, even with the help of his bugs, and soon he would start getting sloppy. The combination of the two was ten times as dangerous as one or the other on its own. Sooner or later, he was going to make a mistake, and when he did he would pay dearly for it. No matter how aware of this he was, it wasn't going to change.

A muscle in his leg seizing up made him trip. A lack of time before he hit the ground and did even more damage to his body made him struggle to land anywhere. A surge of panic made him not see the slip of paper on the tree he was aiming for. And after that it was only luck that made him land off balance and fall off the branch once again after setting the explosive note off in a fiery burst.

This time he didn't bother trying to stop his fall, it was too late. At least this way he should avoid the worst of the blast. He decided he really ought to rethink that when he felt the first strands of fire brushing against his skin. It was all thanks to reflexes that he didn't just freeze up and be burnt to death. Instead, he formed his hands into a seal even as the flames wrapped around him, and it was a log that hit the ground, being consumed by white hot fire.

Shino himself lay, stunned, and draped against a tree trunk, on the forest floor about ten yards away. He couldn't make his body respond, couldn't make his legs bend and hold him up. His heart was beating erratically and his breath was coming in short, frantic, gasps. His sunglasses, which he had kept all throughout this wild chase, slipped down, snapped. He heard the sound of wood and grass and leaves being consumed by fire, he could see the leaping red out of the corner of his eye. He heard the sound of shouts and pounding feet as the hunter-nins drew closer and closer.

And still, he couldn't move, not even to straighten his glasses. He could feel the ground shaking, as a tree branch crashed down from above, severed from it's trunk by the raging flames. He could feel blood trickling down the back of his head and dribbling from his open mouth, from when he had cracked his head on the tree he was currently leaning against. The hunter-nins were close enough that he could hear the sound of their movements even above the roar of the fire. But he couldn't even summon the strength to attempt to hide.

He heard the yell when one of the hunter-nins spotted him, he heard the wind rushing down from the opening the fire created, he heard the disgusted words the hunter-nins spoke when they saw him, and he heard the fire burn. And then, his head slumping forward, glasses falling to the fried grass, he didn't hear anymore.

* * *

Naruto didn't even glance up when the tent flap was opened and Kakashi was carried in on a stretcher. He just sat in his corner, knees tight against his chest, sky blue eyes wide and unseeing. He had shut the world out, and it was going to have to try damn hard if it wanted back in. Genma and Shizune had stopped trying to get his attention two days ago now; all they had been doing was wasting their breath. It was disconcerting though, to see someone like Naruto, who always had a smile on his face, a laugh bubbling in his throat, so silent. It added to the already painful experience of being _here_, being captured.

It was already dark by the time Kakashi was returned to them, and Naruto was only a shadow against the tent wall. His blond hair was indeterminable from the beige canvas of the tent walls, and even his jacket appeared muted, washed out in the dusk. Every once in a while he would move slightly, his orange jacket rustling as he shifted. Each time, Genma and Shizune would look up, staring hopefully in his direction. Kakashi still didn't stir, oblivious to the two worried Jounins who watched over him.

Genma's suspicions had been confirmed when he had seen the large white bandage over both of the great Copy Ninja's eyes, and the blood that had soaked into the cloth over the now empty socket where the Sharingan had once lay. He hadn't known what to say then, but Shizune had just put a hand on his arm, getting rid of the need for words. And they had watched Kakashi, turning away only when Naruto moved, or made some small sound, they watched the shinobi for signs that he was waking, or in pain.

They didn't know what they were going to do when he actually did awake. Shizune was hesitant to do anything to the empty eye socket, as she didn't know what had already been done. They didn't know if he was going to be in pain when he did come to, or if he was aware of what had been done to him. In the best case scenario, he knew, and he had accepted it. The worst? They would have a thirty year-old throwing a temper tantrum. And the kind of temper tantrum Kakashi was likely to throw was one that involved copious amounts of chakra and various sharp projectiles.

It was nearing midnight or past when Shizune finally slipped sideways where she was sitting, eyes closing even as her head touched the dirt. Genma hadn't been able to tear himself away from his 'patient' to cover her with the coat she had been using with a blanket up till now. Instead, he had watched her keel over out of the corner of his eye, indifferent, and then returned to watching Kakashi unwaveringly. This time, when Naruto rocked forward, biting his lip sharply, Genma didn't show any sign of even being aware that there was someone else awake in the room.

While it was possible that the constant missions and danger had finally taken their toll on his mind, making him less sane than he may have been before this nightmare started, he wasn't even aware that that was optional anymore. After while you just started to accept that you were loosing it, or soon going to lose it, and there wasn't much you could do about it, except maybe start warning people. Thank god he still had his pride, because Naruto's reaction to such an admission wouldn't be favorable, and Shizune would probably try out some new medical theory of hers on him, figuring that if it went wrong, there wasn't anybody home to care.

And then there was the less likely possibility that he was in actuality quite sane, and that to stay that way he had to let normal life and emotions go. Again, this was not very common, except maybe in the case of Tsunade, who had decided early on in this war that if she wanted to still be aware of the world around her when it ended, she had to separate herself from those she was as good sentencing to death. And we all know how well that worked.

Genma, when his eyes started rebelling, trying to slip closed when he wasn't paying attention, stuck his ring finger between his teeth and bit down, hard. It didn't hurt, not even close, and he was barely aware that he was even touching the slender digit, but it meant he had something to focus on, so that he would be able to keep watching until Shizune woke up again, and beyond that, until Kakashi woke up again. It was all about concentration, if he had it, there wasn't anything that could go wrong. What made that thought even worse was that he believed it whole heartedly. It was a disturbing thought that people would take anything and grasp onto it tightly, afraid to let it go for fear that their whole world would start to unravel as soon as they did. Genma had grabbed onto his concentration, something he had always valued, prized above all else even. It wasn't like he could be blamed though, everyone needed something to hold in highest reverence, something that would always be true in their mind, that couldn't falter or fade, even in the face of death.

His mind spiraling out of control faster and faster with every shallow breath Kakashi took, Genma focused his mind on one thing and one thing only; the steady drip, drip, drip of blood sliding down his hand and wrist to the ground.

* * *

**a/n**: -sigh- Late again. I hate being late. I really do. It's about 4000 words long, maybe a bit longer, and we're back to four viewpoints for this chapter at least. No promises for the next ones, as scenes are definitely going to get longer and longer again. Sorry if there are some typos or missing punctuation marks, I have very shaky hands today, more so then usual, and we all know spell check can only do so much. Sorry again that it's late; I'll try to get back on schedule soon.

**AvaStar**: Glad you like it! And yes, I am a freak aren't I? Peace Conference today was interesting to say the least by the way, in case you were wondering.

**Dameus**: Yes, but I think that he didn't use the Mangekyou on Naruto then because he had already used it once that day, and didn't want to risk getting too tired. And then Sasuke was really just asking for it, so he had to deliver… (I adore Sasuke, I really do, but you would think he _wanted_ Itachi to kill him along with the rest of the Uchihas the way he carried on then. Again, I absolutely love Sasuke, not bashing in the slightest, incase anyone gets the wrong idea… ).

**Hujin**: Of course it isn't fair! When have I ever been fair to any of them? That just wouldn't be right! Well, I suppose you sort of get Naruto's point of view here… Okay, no, you don't. Sorry? Soon! I swear! And on top of that I'm making them all go insane… -sigh- I need to cut back on the caffeine when I'm writing.


	13. Haze

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 13: Haze

* * *

**

_It's war now, and yes, it's hell. Oh how the times have changed; there aren't many smiles in this hidden village anymore. People are being separated from their loved ones left and right, either by death or duty, and some are starting to lose what hope they had left. But some are still holding out for that better day, whether it's ever going to come or not.

* * *

_

This time when Hinata entered the Hokage's office, it was at a reasonable pace, she could still breathe, and she had at least fifteen minutes to spare. Oh, and she was being shadowed by two twelve year-olds. She had anticipated the three of them having to wait in the hallway for Tsunade to finish with Team Four, but they had been shown right in when they arrived, Team Four apparently long gone by now.

The Godaime was staring out a window when they entered, hands crossed behind her back. Her desk was overflowing with mission reports, maps, and charts. A pile of messages was piled on the top left corner, threatening to slide right onto the floor if touched. A list, the Shinobi registers, was dead center on the table, with red lines through more than a few names. Hinata flinched when one name in particular caught her eye "Yuuhi Kurenai". She had known the night she returned from the Jounin camp that her former teacher had been killed, and she couldn't exactly say she was surprised, people were always dying, but the wound was still sore. And then there was the line through Shino's name…

"Hokage-sama?" Hinata said hesitantly, flinching as Tsunade did. It worried her to see the Godaime so shaken, so jumpy. The worry only increased as the kunoichi turned around to face the Chuunin and Genins, dark circles under her eyes, which were more tired than Hinata had ever seen them before and hoped to ever see again.

"Hyuuga-san." Tsunade replied wearily, not even acknowledging the two younger shinobi standing behind Hinata. "Inuzuka Kiba has been here everyday since his return, for news." Hinata furrowed her eyebrows, why was Tsunade telling her this? The Godaime continued: "I've run out of things to tell him, but he keeps coming back. He-he wants to go out on missions, and he yells when I don't let him. He's breaking Hyuuga-san. Breaking. Like _he_ did, just like he did." Tsunade's voice was quiet, but not quite a whisper. Hinata wasn't sure what to make of this, and she could hear Kin's whispered question to Takumi, asking him the same thing Hinata herself was wondering: who was the Godaime talking about? It could have been Neji, but, for some reason, she doubted it; she wasn't even sure she wanted to know who. "But you aren't here for that, are you?" The Godaime's lips had twisted into a bitter smile. "You're here for your mission."

Hinata nodded, and gestured for Takumi and Kin to step forward. They did, warily, the nervous looks on their faces only making the bags under their eyes more pronounced. Maybe it hadn't been her best idea to date, but she had had to know what they could do, what they could handle. So she had worked them hard after the meeting in Tsunade's office, and through the night, continuing the next day, stopping only for lunch, and then she had them back at it for the rest of the day and again through the night. She had allowed them to go home, shower, eat breakfast, pack for their mission, and say goodbye to their families at seven o'clock this morning, under strict orders to meet her by the stairs to the Hokage's office at eight thirty.

They had been on time, which had been nice, and they were each carrying a small bag, presumably packed by their mothers, which both of whom were lucky enough to still have. Both were wearing a different set of the same clothes they had been wearing yesterday, and the day before, and probably most days before that, much in the same way Hinata herself was. They each had a shuriken pouch on one leg, Takumi's on the left, Kin's on the right. They had looked, still looked, tired, but ready for anything. "Yes Hokage-sama, that is why we're here. Are we too early? Because we can come back later if you would like, there is still something I would like to test these two on." A hand over Kin's mouth stopped whatever complaint she had been about to voice in its tracks.

Tsunade sighed. "No, no. I'm sorry Hinata; this job's just getting to me is all. I've had to call off the attack on the Hidden Sound, I'm not sure if you heard?" Hinata shook her head once, curious. "I've had to split up the force I had down there, because the Jounins that were supposed to rendezvous with them and help disappeared. But I'm getting off topic again, your mission is a little different from the ones I gave the other four teams, but I'm hoping you can handle it. I need you to follow the blue line on this map here," The Godaime gestured at her desk, where a map lay on top of a pile of mission reports, a thick blue line winding back and forth across it. "The blue is a river, I need you three to go along the river until you get back to Konoha, and blow up every single bridge you pass."

"What?" Hinata asked, unable to understand what good this was going to do anyone. "Hokage-sama, if we destroy the bridges, the enemy will just find another way across the river, and our own shinobi will have to do the same." She could see it in her head, enemy shinobi wading across little streams before storming into the village, and it wasn't a pretty picture; she just couldn't see what good it would do.

"Hinata, this river isn't just some brook through a meadow. It's somewhere close to a hundred meters from the riverbanks to the bottom, where the riverbed actually is, and about thirty meters wide. They won't be able to jump across, or wade through it. And I've given all of our shinobi who have already left an alternate way across, which I will also give to you and anyone else leaving the village after you." The Sannin smiled reassuringly, before digging through a pile on her desk. Pulling out a scroll pouch, she handed it to Hinata. "There are four scrolls in there; you need only one each time you want to cross. All you have to do is open it, facing the opposite bank. Once you're all across, just burn one end of it somehow, with a match, or a jutsu, even chakra will do just fine."

"Ah, Hokage-sama, how many bridges are there on this river?" Hinata took the offered pouch, looping it easily around her belt so that it was resting against the small of her back. "And how would you like us to destroy them?"

Tsunade shrugged. "Dynamite. You will only need one stick per bridge, so you'll have no problem carrying enough as well as a few extras. And there are about fifteen bridges, why? If you move quickly you should be back in less than two weeks, assuming you don't run into any trouble."

"Trouble?" Hinata asked, glancing at the two Genins beside her, both of whom looked decidedly more nervous than they had a few moments ago. Her lips twitched and she turned back to the kunoichi, to answer her question, though, it was likely she already knew the answer, and had asked for the sake of pretenses. She shouldn't have bothered; Hinata would have been insulted if she had enough energy left for such a violent emotion. "Ah, I just want to be here when Neji-san returns is all. I worry about him, as you know Hokage-sama."

"I know." Tsunade said levelly, the smile leaving her face. "And there shouldn't be too much trouble, just that you may run into enemy shinobi that are trying to use the same bridges you're trying to destroy. It's doubtful that you'll be there are the exact same time, what you have to worry about is if they have already crossed, or if you must cross to the other side for any reason. Again, I think you can handle it Hinata, and I've needed someone for this job for a long time."

The Hyuuga sighed, biting her lip, worrying away at it. "We will leave immediately of course, Hokage-sama. And, ah, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of missions were the other teams given?" Hinata wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer, if she wanted to hear how much trust Tsunade was placing in them. It was no secret to anyone in the village that their Hokage was getting desperate, who wouldn't be if they were in a situation like hers?

"Supply detail, why?" The Sannin's voice was flat, and Hinata would have said emotionless if she didn't know that it was the overload of emotion that left the Godaime feeling so empty. She flinched as Tsunade's hand shook when it handed her the map and the scroll that would allow her to requisition the dynamite; it hurt almost more than she could bear to see such a woman breaking down.

Hinata felt as though she might cry, for a reason she couldn't see or even begin to understand. She just felt so hopeless, like the village was collapsing from the inside and there was nothing at all she could do stop its downward slide. It was an emotion she had felt before, that they had all felt before, and one that wasn't missed when it finally went away. This time though, she wasn't so sure it was going to disappear again, and it took a lot not to scream.

"No reason, sorry to have bothered you Hokage-sama. We will go now."

* * *

It was a groan that roused Neji from his uneasy sleep. Only when he had to shake his head to get the hair out of his eyes did he notice that both his forehead protector and the bandage that covered the Hyuuga Curse Seal, not to mention his hair tie, were missing. He was also left in only his black t-shirt, shorts, and gloves, the rest of his ANBU gear having been confiscated. Feeling naked without his armor, cloak or forehead protector, Neji drew his knees to his chest, glancing around the small room curiously; even after all he'd been through it wasn't his nature to be nervous.

Tucking a strand of black hair behind one ear, Neji quickly estimated the size of the cell, which was clearly what it was. He would say it was about eight yards square, probably a little less, and entirely empty except for himself and… Well, that was what had woken him up then. Shikamaru was still unconscious, lying flat out on the concrete floor. He too had been stripped off his weapons and his outer layer of clothes, leaving him in just gray shorts and a fishnet shirt. The shirt was stained with blood, as there appeared to be a diagonal slash across the Jounin's chest. Neji winced, noticing the angry red color of the skin around the cut; it had to be quite painful.

He crawled over to where Shikamaru was lying, poking the other boy in the shoulder tentatively. Getting no response, Neji considered him for a moment; noticing how he shivered, which wasn't surprising, it was so dark down here, not to mention cold and damp, that he wouldn't be surprised if it was underground. Shrugging slightly, and making a face as muscles that were stiff from lying on a cold floor, the ANBU gathered Shikamaru in his arms, pulling him off the concrete easily, telling himself it wouldn't do for both of them to be sore.

Leaning against the wall, Neji sighed, ignoring the pain that shot through his lungs when he did so. Time to take stock of what had happened, and, more importantly, how the hell they were going to get out of here. He was an ANBU after all, and it was about time he started to think like one. They had been walking across that field, about parallel to the forest, Shikamaru had heard something, he had seen it, they had both known what it was and had still decided to meet the enemy on their own turf, one might say they had walked directly into the trap. They had fought with the enemy shinobi, and had been doing fairly well, until they had been drugged, which had, understandably, shot the whole thing down.

And then, he had woken up here. Not quite the amazing success he had expected from his first mission as an ANBU, actually, not _even_ close. He had ended up getting both himself and his teammate captured, drugged, and injured, if the cut on Shikamaru's chest was anything to judge by, not to mention how is felt like he had been kicked in the ribs by a cart horse. Hopefully the next one wouldn't be quite the failure this one was; Neji refused to admit to himself that there might not _be_ a next one if he didn't start thinking of a way out. Wasn't he supposed to be a genius?

He glanced at the Jounin in his arms; compared to Shikamaru, he was practically Naruto-esque. But that wasn't really fair, was it? Naruto was a Jounin as well, and a damn good one. The only reason he hadn't been made an ANBU was because Tsunade liked him in the team he was in now. Not to mention that being an ANBU would give him more freedom, which was the last thing the Godaime wanted him to have. No one said it out loud, but everyone who knew Naruto also knew that, if given the chance, he would chase down Uchiha without a second thought.

Neji straightened out one of his gloves, wondering why he had been left with them. They did have a steel plate across the back of the hand, but it wasn't like he really needed to use that for a weapon. If he was going to get close enough to actually hit one of his captures, it would be with concentrated chakra, and it would hurt a hell of a lot more than if they had been backhanded with a thin slab of metal. He hated to think they knew that though, and that that was why his gloves hadn't been taken along with his armor, cloak, and mask. He shouldn't have been questioning it though, they kept him a little warmer, which was something to be thankful for at least. And then there was the warm body flush against his, which was also better than freezing to death by himself in the corner.

A breeze blew through the small cell, which was strange as his previous investigation had yielded the information that there were no windows to be found, and only the one door. Neji looked up, Byakugan already activated when he heard the first footsteps on the concrete. Approaching them, easily discernable from the gray backdrop in his bright blue clothes, (their blatant un-ninja-ness made him think immediately of Naruto and his ridiculous orange jacket), was a Rain-nin, identifiable as such from the umbrella slung over his shoulder and the forehead protector tied around his upper arm. The door had been closed behind him, thankfully cutting off the draft of cold air. Neji was ashamed to find that he just wanted to close his eyes, curl up into a ball, hide behind Shikamaru and let him take care of this. Of course, this plan had several flaws; one rather important one being that Shikamaru was still unconscious.

"Awake now Hyuuga-san?" The shinobi's tone was mocking, as was the way he twirled his irritatingly bright umbrella as he spoke. Neji tightened his grip on Shikamaru, staring defiantly at the Rain-nin. "That's a nice tattoo you have there, it's about time we caught ourselves an ANBU." Neji flinched; glad it hadn't been the Hyuuga Curse Seal he had been referring to. Though, he hadn't realized his ANBU tattoo was visible below his shirt sleeve. Oh… That would explain that then. His sleeve, the one covering the arm with the tattoo, was in tatters, sliced up the crease to the shoulder with a knife. "Just wanted to see what it looked like, and that shirt is rather tight Hyuuga-san."

"Stop calling me that." Neji growled, staring at the man straight on, his white eyes cold. The Rain-nin's lips twisted into a smirk, and he considered the ANBU for a moment. When Neji didn't look away, he gave a little half shrug, and turned his attention to Shikamaru, looking the unconscious shinobi over, pausing every now and then to glance back up at Neji, the smirk never fading even for a second.

"But it's your name, no? Must be with those pretty eyes of yours." He tilted his head to the side a bit, looking directly at the seal above Neji's eyes, the one he tried so hard to keep covered. Damn them for taking his forehead protector, there was nothing he could do to them with _that_. He guessed, and correctly too, that they were trying to make the Leaf-nins feel as vulnerable as possible. He hated to admit it, but it was working. "Alright Hyuuga-san, what's your _other_ name then?"

Neji glared at him for a second, as though he was trying to bore a hole through the man's head with his gaze. It might have worked to, if he had stayed at it long enough. "Neji." The Rain-nin repeated it, thinking for a second. He furrowed his eyebrows, rolling the word over his tongue a few times, apparently considering something, hopefully something he was planning on sharing, as Neji hated being left in the dark.

At last, the other shinobi smirked, leaning against the bars that separated them. The umbrella was twirling inconsequently on his shoulder, making a nerve rattling clanking noise every time it completed a full rotation. "So _that's_ what Orochimaru-sama has planned." Neji jerked his head slightly, trying to keep control over himself, even though all he wanted to do was lunge for the man, though there were steel bars between them that he would never be able to squeeze through, not even if his life depended on it, and an unconscious Jounin in his lap. This was not going to work; now all he would be able to think about was what it was Orochimaru was going to do. Apparently the Rain-nin had seen his frustration, or just felt like rubbing it in, because his next words were: "No, I'm not going to share the knowledge, Neji-san. Dreadfully sorry about that."

"What do you want?" Neji snarled, annoyed by the other shinobi's games. His hands were going numb from being clenched so tightly, despite the long gloves covering them. When the man leaned forward, a wicked smile on his face, Neji was suddenly all too glad for the bars that separated them, although just minutes before he had wished they would vanish so that he could tear the Rain-nin's throat out. He shivered slightly, but not from the cold that was slowly working its way under his skin and towards his heart. They were on their own here, that was for sure, Tsunade wasn't expecting them back for another three weeks at least. And then they would be given a week's leeway before people started to get worried, so it wasn't like they could count on being rescued.

"Cold are we Neji-san? Pity we couldn't have left you with your cloak, but who knows what you could have had hiding in that thing?" The smirk was back, and as infuriating as ever. And that umbrella… It was distracting enough that it was bright blue and made noise, did he have to make it glow with chakra as well? Again, they must have been trying to make them as uncomfortable as possible; the gloves had either been overlooked, or meant to make him feel even more vulnerable. If it was the second, it was damn well working; there was nothing like a pair of gloves that came to the middle of the upper arm to make a person feel delicate. "And in response to your question, who says _I_ want anything with you? I'm just following orders Neji-san, the same way you are. Or were; I suppose."

Neji bit his lip to stop himself for refuting the Rain-nin's claim that they were similar. It was enough that he knew they weren't, it wasn't like the other shinobi really cared what he had to say, unless it was the secrets of Konoha he was spilling out of his mouth. Which was not going to happen, so there wasn't any point in him opening his mouth, who knew what he might say by accident, what they might use against him later? Only when the metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth did Neji realize just how hard he had bit down. Gasping slightly, he raised one gloved hand to his mouth, wiping the blood onto the thumb. Well, at least they weren't white then. Lifting his head again to face the other shinobi, he clenched his teeth as a few strands of hair stuck to his blood soaked lips. "I don't suppose you have a hair tie-?"

The sound of the Rain-nin's laughter grated on his nerves, making him wish he had just kept his mouth shut. The elastic that dropped to his feet made the noise a little more bearable, but not by much. Reaching around Shikamaru, Neji's fingers grasped at the tie, trying to get a hold of it. Finally feeling his numb fingers close around it, he pulled himself back up, trying to regain his balance. His hand first trying to tie his hair in its normal place, Neji sighed. That would require two hands, which he didn't currently have the use of. Making a face, he tied his hair into a traditional ponytail, looping the elastic around it tightly so that it wouldn't fall out. "What no thank you?" The Rain-nin asked, a mock look of hurt on his face, the umbrella still spinning casually on his shoulder. Neji just raised an eyebrow, his arm returning to its original position around Shikamaru. "I suppose that's too much to ask." The shinobi conceded, smirk back in place as he watched Neji's possessive hold on Shikamaru.

"It is." Neji agreed, trying to ignore the feeling of blood soaking through his glove to rest against his skin. The dampness was just adding to the overall chill in the cell, which was bitter enough in only shorts and a tee-shirt. If they were going to take his clothes, they might as well leave a blanket behind. Okay, he was being irrational now. Why would their captors want them to be warm and comfortable? While it made for happy prisoners, it didn't help their cause at all. Unconsciously, Neji pulled Shikamaru closer still, trying to steal some of the Jounin's warmth. He didn't hear the soft whimper as the other boy's air supply was cut off, which, depending on whose point of view you looked at it from, could be a good thing or a bad thing. From Shikamaru's side, it was very, very bad, because he suddenly couldn't breathe. From Neji's, it was good, because in his struggle for oxygen, Shikamaru woke up, which meant Neji didn't have to face the Rain-nin all by his lonesome.

Waking up choking is never a good way to start your day, as Shikamaru soon learned. Fortunately, as soon as the Jounin woke up, Neji loosened his arms so that they were just draped around the other boy, and in no way impeding his breathing. "Neji?" Shikamaru managed to gasp out between coughs, his entire body convulsing with each one. Neji flinched when he saw the spray of blood that came with the last cough. "Where are we?"

Neji glanced at the Rain-nin, who didn't offer anything but a shrug. "In a cell, probably underground." He said softly, wishing he had something to offer the other boy for the cut on his chest, which had to be burning painfully right about now. He'd offer one of his gloves, but it wouldn't do much good. It wasn't long enough to be tied around, and they had nothing to use to stick it in place. Unless you counted dried blood of course, but he doubted Shikamaru would appreciate that. It wasn't like he didn't have an exorbitant amount of the stuff on him now anyway.

Groaning, and putting one hand to his head, Shikamaru straightened up a bit. It was then that he noticed the pain in his chest, which quickly became almost crippling. Gasping, he leaned back, resting against Neji, once again trying to catch his breath. His only thoughts were about how damn painful this was, and how cold it was in their cell. Of course, that was probably because he was only wearing a tee-shirt and a pair of shorts. Even Neji had more than that on, though, he wasn't really sure how much good the gloves were doing him, because as far as he could tell, they were soaked in blood. Once he could breathe easily once again, he followed Neji's eyes to a Rain-nin standing on the other side of the bars.

"I see somebody is finally awake then? I'm afraid I must confess I don't know your name, unlike Neji-san here, it isn't so painfully obvious which clan you are from." The Rain-nin said, removing his umbrella from his shoulder in one swift movement, and thudding the tip down onto the concrete floor, spinning it all the while. Neji flinched, afraid that it would open and start spewing needles at them when it was knocked against the floor. When he didn't feel metal slivers slicing through his skin, he looked back at the man, a frustrated scowl on his face. The Rain-nin laughed again, his eyes never leaving Neji's face. "Are we getting jumpy Neji-san? I admit, I did not expect you to be so unaccustomed to being caged."

It was Shikamaru who responded to the other shinobi's jab at Neji and the Hyuuga family, but in an off handed way. "Hey, I thought you were talking to me. It's Nara Shikamaru by the way." He hadn't missed the way Neji's entire body had tightened at the casual mention of the Hyuuga Curse Seal. It was kind of hard to when he was this close to the other boy, and he knew the Rain-nin had to have seen it as well. But that was what he wanted apparently, to wind them up slowly, slowly enough so that they wouldn't notice they were being wound up, and then have some fun with them with they exploded. Every once and a while it was nice not to be famous, not to be known from village to village. Because every once and a while it allowed him to get the upper hand.

"Pleased to meet you Shikamaru-san. Pleased to meet you. I do hope you enjoy your stay in our… establishment." The Rain-nin had stopped laughing, but his tone was amused, like he had them exactly where he wanted them. Well, Shikamaru supposed that he did. Things might have been different if he was full up on chakra, he could have caught the man with the _kage mane_, and gone through trial and error until he got him to unlock the door. But with as low a level of chakra as he had now, he would be lucky if he could even stretch his shadow halfway to the man.

He sighed; they were stuck here until they had their chakra back, or until their captors decided to move them. Lazy as he was, he hated to be at the whim of another. And he couldn't exactly stare at the clouds from underground, if Neji was correct and that was indeed where they were. Even if they were above ground, there were no windows, and only the one door, as he had noticed even in his current condition. "Don't suppose you're going to tell us _your_ name then?"

"No." That umbrella was intoxicating, with its bright blue, the color of the sky Shikamaru noted happily, and the chakra streaming off it. His head tilted to the side as he watched it spin, and his eyes started to slide closed. Until Neji noticed that the Jounin on top of him's breathing was slowing down, evening out, and he jabbed an elbow in Shikamaru's stomach. Shikamaru's head shot back up and he doubled over in pain. The Rain-nin smirked, watching the two Konoha shinobi's antics with enjoyment. "Careful now, don't want to hurt each other before _I_ get a chance to."

"Sorry." Neji mumbled quietly to Shikamaru, ignoring the Rain-nin easily. "You were… Falling asleep again I guess, staring at his umbrella." Shivering as the cloth of his tee-shirt grated across his chest when Shikamaru turned slightly so that he could see him, Neji twisted his lips into a feeble imitation of a smile. A hand, not his, as it was bare and not bloodstained, ghosted across one of his cheeks, tracing a cut carefully. When the hand came away again, a streak of blood only accented how pale it was, and made the trembling more noticeable.

Shikamaru considered the ANBU for a moment, his eyes carefully avoiding the Hyuuga Curse Seal scrawled across his forehead, something Neji tried so hard to keep hidden. His hair had been put into a normal ponytail, and a slightly messy one at that, with a few strands of black hair falling loose of the elastic here and there. He was as pale as Shikamaru knew he himself must look, and there was an angry cut slashing across one of his cheekbones towards his mouth. All in all he looked quite vulnerable, especially when he turned his head away slightly. And those gloves… "S'alright." He jerked his head in the direction of the Rain-nin for a moment. "You think he'd go away if we asked politely?"

"Again, no." The man said, interrupting them carelessly. "I did come down here for a reason you two, so if we could regain focus for just I moment, I _will_ be on my way." He had their attention immediately, Shikamaru twisting back around so that he could see the Rain-nin easily, and Neji tilting his own head so that he could see past Shikamaru's. "First thing I needed was your names, which I now have, second was whether or not either of you would be willing to co-operate now instead of making us force you to later, but I don't believe that question is exactly necessary." He turned to go, leaving both Konoha shinobi wondering why he had bothered to get their attention in the first place, when he could have easily just left as soon as he had Shikamaru's name. Not point in questioning it now though, the sooner he was gone, the better. The Rain-nin turned back, umbrella still spinning wildly against the concrete, chakra bouncing off of it like sunspots. Shikamaru tried not to focus on that and instead on the hand resting on the small of his back. The Rain-nin smirked, his face looking quite vicious, and extremely amused. "Thanks ever so much for the show boys. You've just made this much easier for us."

* * *

**a/n**: AHHH! I'm so sorry! It won't happen again, I swear! Things just kept happening and I never had a chance to write and all sorts of bad stuff like that. Hopefully this is long enough to make up for the five day sojourn. If not, again, I'm soooo sorry! I hope you like this chapter by the way… Oh, and I meant to have another scene in this one, but then it got to 5295 words, so I decided to put that scene into the next chapter instead, and _just post this one already_. I can't believe I went four days without updating, I'm so ashamed… –sigh– It won't happen again. Next chapter should be up tomorrow, because my March Break starts then… (today was my last day, even though I haven't been to school since Monday…) Might even get you two tomorrow, to make up for the big lull…

**Starry096**: Umm… Is this what you meant by soon? I think not… Sorry! (And thanks!)

**AvaStar**: Very stupid question indeed… Of course I enjoy torturing characters. Uh, sorry it took so long… Kill me if you must. TT

**Smoking Panda**: Here's your next update… Hope it didn't take too long. Well, you don't have to worry about having missed this one… And again, yes, I like torturing the characters, which is probably why you found it sad… Hopefully this one is slightly more upbeat. Hell, what am I saying!

**Bunch-o-Nuts**: I didn't end up studying for more than about eight minutes… Bad me. Thanks though! I'm afraid I don't have an excuse like studying for the lateness of this chapter… –sigh– I enjoyed it muchly… Went to school on Monday for an hour, came home, and haven't been back since. And March Break started today, so no more school for me until March 29th. Yay .

**Angstluver**: Glad you liked it! –winks– You'll just have to read and find out… Again, sorry this took so damn long!

_**AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUJIN! BECAUSE TODAY WAS MAY 8th IN THE NMDH UNIVERSE!**_


	14. Surreptitious

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 14: Surreptitious

* * *

**

_It's night time in Konoha, or it may as well be; hell and havoc are as thick as thieves. The census is in, and we're ready to get started. On the front line we have an Anbu who's got one thing, and one thing only, on his mind; a team of Jounins who are having an interesting encounter with the dead; a pair of Chuunins who are ready to kill for just one more chance; a Genin that doesn't seem to understand that this is reality; and Hokage who does all too well, and now gets to see it crumble before her very eyes. Now is the time for heroes to rise and take a stand, but the hero business is definitely not an easy one.

* * *

_

Genma was jolted awake by screaming. He blinked blearily before jerking his head off of his arms to try and find the source of all the noise. Shaking his head softly, in attempt to wake himself up enough that he wouldn't fall over when he tried to stand up, Genma sighed. Looked like Kakashi was awake then. Getting to his feet carefully, he hurried to the other Jounin's side. "Shh… Shh… It's all over." He put one hand out, to try and calm Kakashi down, but it didn't even make it to his arm. Kakashi was still sleeping, and apparently having another nightmare. This had happened every single night since he had been returned to them, but he had never started screaming before. His hand froze in midair, he knew, he wasn't sure how or where from, that he wasn't supposed to wake up someone who was have a nightmare. Tilting his head to the side, he watched the ex-Anbu scream.

A hand grabbed his forearm, and Genma nearly screamed himself. Some shinobi he was. Kakashi was sitting bolt upright, his eye open wide. "Sensei!" _Now_ the Jounin was awake. He let go of Genma's arm and let both of his own fall to his sides. His shoulders were hunched forward and his entire body was shaking. Kakashi's remaining eye remained open and staring at seemingly nothing. Below his mask, which had remained on through this entire ordeal, his mouth had fallen open and was slack.

The Jounin's breath was coming in pants, and his face was pale, making the white of the bandage almost blend in completely. His hands where grabbing at the blanket that had been covering him for the past two days, and his knuckles were as white as his face. "Sensei." He whispered, closing his one eye briefly, as though in pain. Which, Genma supposed, he probably was. For one thing, he had just had an eye removed. Two, he knew that the Yondaime had been Kakashi's sensei as a Genin and Chuunin, and his death must have been hard.

He bit his lip for what must have been the thousandth time since they were captured, ignoring the dull pain as he reopened the cuts. Kakashi looked like he might keel over any minute, and he really didn't want to be alone again. Shizune was asleep, like he had been before Kakashi had woken him up with his screams, and Naruto was still sitting in the same spot, knees drawn up against his chest, one cheek resting on his knees. He himself had only managed to fall asleep a few hours ago, exhausted from keeping watch on the ex-Anbu for hours on end. It was hard even now to keep his eyes open, to not just lay back down and try to get at least a few more minutes of sleep. Surely Kakashi would be fine now, if he was awake, and no longer screaming. Surely he had already realized he only had one eye… Genma sighed, looked like he would be staying awake for a little longer after all.

"Kakashi, are you all-" He didn't get to finish, because at that moment, the tent flap opened, rustling as it was pushed out of the way. All he could see for a moment was two shadows against the moon, which was a huge crescent, hanging over the camp. And then the tent flap fell closed behind them and he wondered if there was any connection between _this_ and why Kakashi had woken up screaming for his teacher tonight of all nights.

Outlined against the canvas tent flap were Uchiha Sasuke, and the former Yondaime of Konoha. Who, if Genma remembered correctly, and he was sure he did, had died almost seventeen years ago now, when he had sealed the Kyuubi in the boy who was sitting in the corner, muttering softly to himself. "These are the captives I told you about." Sasuke was saying, his voice emotionless even as his bright red eyes swept around the tent, first to Genma, who stared right back, then Shizune, still sleeping, to Kakashi, who didn't appear to have noticed their visitors, and then to Naruto, where they stayed.

The Yondaime was looking over them as well, his own blue eyes blank as he sized them up. "Who exactly are they, if I may be so bold Uchiha-san?" Genma flinched, turning ever so slightly so that he was directly facing the blond. There was no recognition on the Yondaime's face, of which he was strangely grateful. He wouldn't have been able to explain why that was if asked, but it was nice to know that he hadn't sided with Orochimaru with all of his memory still intact. Which brought Genma right back to the question of how the hell the Yondaime, long dead, was standing there right in front of him.

"The woman is Konoha's Godaime's assistant, the brunette is just an ordinary shinobi, nothing special about him," Genma bristled, but didn't take his eyes off of the Yondaime. "The silver haired one is an ex-Anbu, and an ex-Sharingan user," the smirk on the Uchiha's lips was unmistakable in his tone. "And the blond is the container for a demon fox. They are all Jounins, and the only all Jounin team left in Konoha. Orochimaru-sama has been after them for a while."

"Hmm…" The Yondaime was wearing the same thing he had been the day he had sealed the Kyuubi, with the exception of the green Konoha flack jacket, which wasn't a surprise to Genma. He doubted Orochimaru would allow his slaves to wear the clothes of his enemy. It was almost funny actually, as the Yondaime was the very embodiment of what Orochimaru hated about Konoha. It was him who had been chosen to become the next Hokage instead of Orochimaru, something the Sannin had never forgiven the Sandaime for.

Genma flinched, realizing something; it wasn't funny at all, it was sick. He had heard how Orochimaru had summoned the spirits of the Shodaime and Nidaime when he had fought the Sandaime at the Chuunin Exam all those years ago. Apparently he had improved the jutsu, because, while the man standing in front of him didn't appear to remember who he had been at all, he wasn't just a mindless killing machine either. Orochimaru must derive immense pleasure from having a man as great as this bow before him, not too mention the grudge he had against the Yondaime.

He didn't want to see the man who had once been his leader like this, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. He wondered if there was anything they could do, anything at all, that would make him remember who he was, who he had been. Genma dropped his hand, letting it fall back to his side as he took a few tentative steps backward, away from Sasuke and the Yondaime. Damn he wished Shizune would wake up, she was the only other one who was even close to lucid, and she was practically _unconscious_. He had hoped that Sasuke showing up might have snapped Naruto out of whatever was wrong with him, but apparently not. "I want to question them Uchiha-san. Orochimaru requested that I be allowed to." Genma turned from the Yondaime to Sasuke, to see his reaction to the Yondaime's demand.

The Uchiha didn't blink, but turned his crimson eyes away from Naruto to consider the Yondaime for a moment. "What was he thinking?" Sasuke hissed quietly, but not quietly enough, because both Genma and the Yondaime heard them. Genma smirked, apparently whatever Orochimaru had done to the Yondaime, it wasn't foolproof. Maybe, just maybe, if Sasuke left them alone with him, they would be able to do something.

Of course, it would be nice if Shizune woke up, or if Kakashi and Naruto came out of whatever trances they were in. "Ah, Sasuke-kun, surely you don't have a problem with your prisoners being questioned for your master?" Genma asked, praying his voice wouldn't crack. He watched the Uchiha carefully, not bothering to hide his amusement when the missing-nin flinched. Though, he wasn't sure if it was because of him addressing him in such a familiar way, or from being reduced to Orochimaru's slave. God how he hoped it was the second.

"No, no, but you ought to." Sasuke replied, and he nodded to the Yondaime before backing out of the tent with one last glance at Naruto. The tent flap rustled close and Sasuke's shadow could be seen retreating. Genma breathed a little easier, and, ignoring the Yondaime as best he could, went over to Shizune. Kneeling beside the medic, he shook her shoulder slightly, hoping she wouldn't scream.

"Ah, Shizune, we have a… visitor. You need to wake up and help me deal with Kakashi." Genma said softly, wishing he had a senbon to take his mind off of who it was that was looking over his shoulder. Shizune blinked her eyes slowly, and brought one hand up to rub the sleep out of them. Rocking back on his heels, Genma got to his feet carefully before offering her a hand.

Taking it, she pulled herself up, and glanced around the tent. "What's this you said about a visitor Genma? You better not be pulling my leg or its curtains for you. I was having a nice dream that we were back in Konoha, and the war was over. There were balloons and every- AHHH!" Genma winced; there was nothing quite like a woman's scream to grate on your nerves. Though, considering, she had every right to yell. "Genma, what is _he_ doing here!"

Genma looked down, tracing patterns in the dirt with his eyes, not sure how to answer the medic's question. "I-I don't know. He came in with Uchiha, and he-he doesn't know Shizune." Genma wasn't sure who he meant by that, whether he was referring to the Yondaime not remembering who he was, or to Kakashi not being coherent enough to notice his former teacher. Considering something, the Jounin glanced at Kakashi, long enough to see that his remaining eye was closed, tears flowing from it freely.

"I don't understand Genma." Shizune admitted, glancing furtively at the Yondaime, who was looking around the tent with a sneer that didn't quite fit his face. Either he hadn't heard them talking, or he didn't care enough to acknowledge it. "What has Orochimaru been doing? How could this even be possible? I mean, I know he raised the Shodaime and the Nidaime to fight the Sandaime, but that was different, they were just puppets who looked like them, and could use their power. This," She gestured at the Yondaime with one hand, not taking her eyes off Genma. "This is real. It's actually him, soul and all."

Sighing softly, Genma put a hand on Shizune's shoulder. "I don't understand it either, but I'm hoping that maybe there's someway we can make him remember. I'm not sure it's even possible, but Sasuke didn't look very comfortable with leaving him here alone, so we just have to hope that maybe, just maybe, it could happen. Otherwise this fight is going to get a hell of a lot harder." He bit his lip again, hating himself even as he tried to force the thought out of his head. But it was hard; he couldn't help but wonder who else Orochimaru had called up from the grave. It was likely, if he had brought anyone else back, that it would be people who would not only affect them physically, like the Yondaime, but emotionally, making it just that much harder for them to fight back. He sighed again. "We should probably try and get Kakashi-"

"What's wrong with him?" The Yondaime asked, looking over Genma's shoulder at the ex-Anbu with curiosity. Genma stifled the urge to jump right out of his skin, clenching his teeth as he turned his head slightly to face the blond. The sneer was gone, and his head was tilted so he could see Kakashi better. A few strands of blond hair had fallen in his face, and it was then that Genma realized that the Yondaime wasn't a day older than when he had died.

"Uchiha had his medics remove his left eye, so that he couldn't use the Sharingan anymore." Genma said, turning away from the Yondaime to look at Kakashi, who might as well have been asleep. He wondered how he was going to get the Jounin to snap out of it, he doubted shaking him was going to do much good. And then he remembered a story Naruto had told them a while ago, during a particularly boring mission. He smirked, and moved one had slowly towards Kakashi's mask. He was only two inches away from the black cloth when a hand reached up and grabbed his wrist. Genma might have laughed, but there were five fingernails digging into his skin.

He glanced down; the hand holding his arm was white, completely drained of blood as it clamped down on his wrist in terror. Kakashi's one eye was open wide, wider than he had ever seen it before. The horror on the man's face was evident despite the cloth over his mouth and the bandage over his left eye socket. He was surprised that the Jounin hadn't screamed yet. "Ah, I'm sorry, what was your name again?" The Yondaime asked, staring at Kakashi with a confused look on his face. "And what's wrong with him? He looks like he's seen a ghost."

Genma laughed, unable to stop himself in time. Shizune and the Yondaime were staring at him, and he thought he heard Naruto stir in the corner, but he couldn't stop. He knew there was very little to be laughing about in a situation such as this, but it felt like if he didn't laugh soon, he would fall apart. This was just too much, anyone would crack if they were in his place, it would be hard not to. He was laughing so hard he was crying now, and he could feel everyone's eyes on him, with the exception of Kakashi, who couldn't stop staring at the man who had once been the Hokage of Konoha and his teacher. Even Naruto had given up muttering to himself in a corner to stare as his teammate went insane. Genma just couldn't understand why he was the only one laughing.

Finally, he managed to get himself under control. Holding a hand to his chest as he tried to catch his breath, Genma nodded to Naruto. "Nice to see you've joined us again." He said dryly, watching as the blond stood up and walked over to them, giving the Yondaime a curious look as he passed him. His lips twisted into a bitter smile as Naruto's eyes rested on Kakashi, staring at the white bandage covering most of the left side of his face. Understanding dawned on the Jounin's face, and he put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. There was no indication that Kakashi even felt it.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked quietly, his voice rough and emotional as he stared openly at the Yondaime with distress. Naruto looked back and forth from Kakashi to the Yondaime, clearly confused. Finally, he focused on the Yondaime, looking him up and down, obviously trying to figure out who he was. Genma smirked, noticing again the resemblance between the two. He wondered now whether Sasuke had been the only reason Kakashi had also ended up with Naruto on his team, or if someone had been trying to make a point. If it was the second, it had been unnecessarily cruel.

Naruto glared at Genma as though he had been hiding the man's identity from him as a part of some evil plan. "Who is this?" He asked accusingly, his hand dropping from Kakashi's shoulder to rest on his hip, the other soon following. Genma looked at the young Jounin, mildly amused. Biting his lip as he considered something, he glanced at Shizune, who nodded slightly. Hoping that she had been thinking the same thing he had, and that he wasn't about to completely ruin just about everything, Genma smirked again.

"Why Naruto, don't you recognize the Yondaime? He died the day you were born."

* * *

Tsunade paced the length of her office, crossing back and forth in front of the windows. It was May 9th. It had been exactly a week since Aburame Shino had been proclaimed a missing-nin, and when she said exactly, she meant exactly, it was twelve thirteen am, and she had been dragged out of her wonderfully comfortable and warm bed to meet with a group of hunter-nins and their quarry.

So here she was, at midnight, pacing her office, with a pair of Anbu guards outside the doors, and two hunter-nins standing on either side of a handcuffed Shino in front of her desk. She could honestly say that, just a week ago, she would have never expected this. Shino had always been reliable, if kind of quiet. He had been the perfect shinobi, who obeyed without question, but was smart enough, strong enough, and resourceful enough to do what needed to be done, even if it went against the mission parameters, or the orders he had been given.

And then she had pushed him just a little too far, and he had snapped. He wasn't the first one to do so, oh not by a long shot, but others had never gone quite this far. Others had rebelled quietly, breaking small rules, or yelling at her, but not Shino. No, he had poisoned a teammate, killed half a squad of hunter-nins and his former teacher, and burnt down a forest. That was not a quiet rebellion; it was much closer to a bloody revolution really.

There was one punishment for missing-nins who were recovered and one only. What was it about that year that made them so difficult to control? Already two of the nine had been missing-nins, and one of them was an S Class criminal in the Bingo Book. Another had to be kept under careful watch so that he didn't chase after aforementioned S Class missing-nin. Not to mention another member of that year who would probably attempt to assassinate her when she announced Shino's sentence, and another who would was just as close to losing it. If only Lee and Neji had been born a year later, they would have completed the nightmare.

Tsunade stopped pacing and turned to face the three tired shinobi. One hand on her hip, she nodded to the hunter-nins. "You two may leave, I want to speak to Aburame on my own." Bowing, the pair backed out of the doors, presumably to get some sleep before they were sent out on another mission. Tsunade considered Shino for a minute, pursing her lips. The teenager looked completely drained, and his clothes were a mess. The sunglasses he had worn ever since she had met him and presumably long before were gone, leaving a pair of tired eyes, ringed with black. His face was pale and drawn, which meant his eyes stood out even more, as well as the slash across his lips, as well as the one which cut across his right cheekbone, which were a glaring red. She noticed for the first time something that, if she had noticed it before, might have prevented this entire mess. The Chuunin was as thin as a rail, his skin practically translucent. She kicked herself for not seeing it before, and giving him longer rest periods, he obviously wasn't up to the demanding missions she had been giving him, and she seriously doubted that he had been eating right. He was also shaking, and Tsunade had to wonder how long it had been since he had slept.

Almost disgusted by the pity she felt for him, he had killed three shinobi after all, Tsunade walked over to the boy, dragging a spare chair away from the wall for him to use. "Sit." She commanded, watching as he hesitated, then dropped onto it like a sack of flour, still trembling. Leaning against her desk, and fighting not to just let her eyes fall closed so that she could sleep, the Godaime tilted her head to the side, trying to decide what to say to the Chuunin.

"I didn't kill her Hokage-sama." Shino said quietly, his eyes boring into hers. Tsunade jerked her head up straight, her own eyes slightly wider than normal as she waited for him to continue, all thoughts of what she had been going to say gone. "I don't know what they told you, but I didn't- I would never…" He trailed off, tears in his dark eyes. "I-I know my traps caught two of the hunter-nins, I wasn't thinking when I laid them. I know this doesn't mean anything, but, I-I'm sorry."

"They told me that they found Yuuhi Kurenai just off the path _you_ took, dead, covered in blood, and her lungs filled with _your_ bugs." Tsunade said sharply. "I don't see how it could be anyone else, Aburame. Unless you make that clear for me, it's going to be on your record. But why does it really matter? You know there is only one choice for me, and thus for you. One less murder isn't going to make any difference."

Shino looked down, his black hair, which had once been short and neatly maintained slightly singed and several inches longer. Apparently he hadn't only been neglecting his food, but everything else too. "I just don't want him to think I killed her Hokage-sama. I don't want him to have to live with the fact that he loved someone who could do that."

Tsunade's face softened and she let her arm fall to her side. She had almost forgotten that this was what this entire mess was all about. It was hard to get angry at the missing-nin when he went and said something like that, and he looked just so pathetic, sitting there on the chair she had given him. "So I take it you know what your punishment is going to be, right?" She paused, wanting to explain to him, but not sure if that was such a good idea. "Shino… If I had the choice I'd pardon you, but I can't. The village knows what you did, and even if you didn't kill Kurenai, you still killed the two hunter-nins. They want justice Shino, and I have to give it to them, do you understand?" Mentally, she hit herself; real smooth Tsunade, asking him if he understood why he had to die.

When he nodded, she wished she could just let him go, find some explanation for the villagers if that was what they demanded, but she knew it was impossible, that it could never work that way. That was why there was one punishment for missing-nins, not because what they had done was so horrendous, but because the village would never take them back once they were gone. In a way, it was the ultimate crime, to betray your home, where you had grown up, and so it was punished with the ultimate penalty, death.

* * *

**a/n**: Ahh! I'm so sorry it took so long! I was all ready to have this up on Friday, and then, I realized how important this chapter was! It is quite literally The Branch Point, and I spent a looong time stressing about what way it was going to go… I am amused that The Branch Point revolves around Kakashi though … Anyway, sorry again, and hopefully I'll have chapter 15 up sooner rather than later (maybe tomorrow or the day after? shrugs you never know). Heh, you're probably wondering what the hell is going on though, and I can't blame you. But it should eventually make sense, hopefully. And just to clear a few things up:

This pretty much takes place right at the beginning of Part Two, i.e. chapter 248+ (of the manga, as we haven't quite gotten there in the anime yet…).

The Yondaime is the same age as when he died, so he's about Kakashi's age, near as I can figure it, considered we _still_ don't know his name or age… sigh

Chapters 11 and 12 both took place on May 6th, Chapter 13 took place on May 8th, and Chapter 14 (this one) took place on May 9th.

Just to keep you posted, this is a **_shonen-ai_** story. Well, if you got this far without noticing, I'm more than a little worried, and you should be too. I'm not going to tell you the pairings though, because that would be no fun, ne? Anyway, please **_review_**!

**AvaStar**: Glad you liked it! And, as you know, I was going to have two up, but no-o, I had to freak out about that whole two directions thing. –sigh-

**Hujin**: Yes, "plans" is a frightening word, isn't it? –grins- you'll just have to wait and see, it really isn't that far off…

**E. Vanity**: Yuck, I'm not too fond of Bio… Chemistry and Physics (YAY PHYSICS) are more my thing! Sorry again that it's so late…

**Smoking Panda**: HE HAD LINES IN THIS ONE… Okay. Line. But still! I wrote more, as you may have noticed, but it took a very long time… -sigh-

**Bunch-o-Nuts**: I take it this isn't what you meant by soon, is it? Aww thank you!

**Lady Samurai**: Maybe, maybe not. –grins- I'm not telling… Thanks though!

**Angstluver**: You'd think it would be so simple, wouldn't you? Thanks! I'm glad you like it! Uh… Here's something about Naruto. Kinda. Okay, not really. –hangs head- I'll get to it, I swear!


	15. Clandestine

**No More Dead Heroes**

**Chapter 15: Clandestine**

* * *

_It's nighttime in Konoha, or it may as well be; hell and havoc are as thick as thieves. The census is in, and we're ready to get started. On the front line we have an Anbu who's got one thing, and one thing only, on his mind; a team of Jounins who are having an interesting encounter with the dead; a pair of Chuunins who are ready to kill for just one more chance; a Genin that doesn't seem to understand that this is reality; and Hokage who does all too well, and now gets to see it crumble before her very eyes._

* * *

The silence in the tent didn't last very long, but long enough for Genma to realize that what he had just said may not have been the brightest possible in the situation. At the very least, the Yondaime would probably think they were all insane, and go tell Uchiha what nonsense they were spouting off, and then Sasuke would probably figure that torture was sufficient punishment for trying to free one of Orochimaru's slaves, and he didn't know how much any of them could take.

It was Naruto who spoke first, a glassy look in his sky blue eyes. "You mean he-he's the one who-?" The kid was lucky Genma knew exactly what he was trying to say; else wise he could have spent an eternity trying to force the words past his numb lips. The smirk was back as Genma watched Naruto fumble for words, waiting just a little longer to put the Jounin out of his misery, for amusement's sake.

Finally, taking pity on the teenager, he replied. "None other." Naruto turned from Genma, to the Yondaime, and back again, disbelief on his face. The Yondaime had a confused look on his face, along with the same obvious disbelief. It was clear he was about to object, but was just trying to find the words. Shizune had one hand on Kakashi's shoulder, forcibly holding him in place as the ex-Anbu tried to break free of her hold, but Tsunade hadn't taught her nothing in all the years they had traveled together, and he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She hadn't, however, covered his mouth.

"Is this some sort of cruel game of Orochimaru's?" Kakashi demanded of the Yondaime, the scowl on his face made no less menacing by the fact that they couldn't see three quarters of his face. He turned on Genma, sole remaining eye blazing. "He's not real, right Genma? Tell me he isn't real." His voice had lost the harsh edge, instead taking on a pleading quality, as though he was begging Genma to fix things for him.

"Listen," The Yondaime interrupted, his voice cutting through all the background noise. They all turned to look at him; even Kakashi silenced by the commanding tone in his voice. "I don't know who you're all talking about, but I am not him. In case you haven't noticed, I'm your _enemy_. I'm on the _other side_. Whoever it is you lost, it isn't me, so could we just get on with this?"

Kakashi shook Shizune off, silencing her with a hard look when she tried to stop him again. Standing up and reaching out with one hand, he poked the Yondaime in the chest, ignoring the blonde's protests. Flattening his hand against the other man, he ran it up towards his collarbone and down his right arm, tracing the muscle intently before sliding his hand back up to his shoulder. The Yondaime had gotten as stiff as a board, watching as the Jounin inspected his upper body in a routine fashion. Finally, the hand stopped at the base of his neck, and, his eyes never leaving the Yondaime's; Kakashi tweaked a strand of blond hair.

Right about now, Genma was wondering if they had done something to Kakashi's brain by accident when they were messing around with his eye, and he was sure the others were wondering the same thing, if the expression on Shizune's face was anything to judge by. Finished his investigation, Kakashi let his hand drop to his side, still staring into the Yondaime's blue eyes, almost like he was looking for something. Not turning away from his old teacher, like he was afraid the man would disappear the second he took his eyes of him, Kakashi sighed. "It's him. I don't know what Orochimaru's done to him, or if we can undo it, but it-it's him, it has to be."

Naruto, who had been as transfixed by Kakashi's actions as the rest of them, had looked to Genma when Kakashi spoke. "I don't understand. I thought, I thought he died doing _that_." They all knew what he was referring to, with exception to the Yondaime, but no one bothered to clear it up for him. Shizune looked to Genma again, wondering if he had come up with anything new on the theory they already had.

"We already know Orochimaru can raise the dead to use as his puppets Naruto, he did it at the Chuunin exams to fight the Sandaime. I think, and Shizune agrees, that he has either fine-tuned the jutsu, or created a whole new one that allows him to bring back the person's soul as well as erase their memory." Genma said slowly, watching Kakashi out of the corner his eye. Naruto didn't look convinced, but didn't question it any further, which was more proof of how he had matured over the years.

"So basically he's a walking dead guy?" Or not. Genma sighed and shook his head, giving Naruto a dark look and a suggestive glance at Kakashi. "Well then what? I don't understand it Genma! How can Orochimaru just bring people back to life like that! Once you're dead, you're de-"

The sound of the slap resounded throughout the tent. Naruto's blue eyes had gotten very wide, and he was staring at his former teacher with shock and horror. Already a red handprint could be seen across Naruto's left cheek and his mouth. Everyone, the Yondaime included, was staring at Kakashi along with Naruto, unable to believe that he had actually done that. The only one who beat out Kakashi for indifference was Shikamaru, and even then not by very much. It was getting more and more likely that something had gone wrong with his little operation with every move he made.

Naruto looked away from Kakashi at last, staring at a spot on the tent wall. Genma sighed, the last thing they needed now was _more_ drama. "Look at me Naruto." Kakashi commanded, his voice hard and demanding. When Naruto didn't move, he reached out and grabbed the blonde's chin, forcing him to turn his head; Naruto just scowled at him. "Then once you're evil, you're evil. Right? No turning back? No pretending it didn't happen?" Naruto pushed Kakashi's hand away, looking very much like he wanted to hit back.

"That's different! _He's_ diff…" Naruto's voice trailed off, and Kakashi looked more than slightly smug. Genma winced, hating the change in Kakashi already. Naruto looked up again, his eyes meeting Kakashi's sole, bloodshot, eye. "Fine." He said, his teeth practically bared. "Fine, if you don't think I can do it, I'll just have to prove it to you won't I?" And with that, he turned away again, stalking back to his corner of the tent, and just standing there, back to them, arms crossed defiantly.

"Kakashi!" Genma hissed. "What the hell are you trying to do!" Shizune nodded, giving the ex-Anbu a slightly homicidal look, one she had probably learned from the Godaime. Kakashi flinched, taking a step back, and thus, stepping on the Yondaime's foot. The Yondaime, trying to get his foot free before it lost all feeling, jerked backwards, not realizing there was a bench behind him. He toppled over, and in a last attempt to save himself, grabbed the back of Kakashi's shirt, pulling him over with him.

And that was when Anko and four fully armed Anbu burst into the tent through the canvas flap at the front. Everyone froze, expecting it to be Uchiha and some of his shinobi. Genma, spotting Anko out of the corner of his eye, turned to look at them, and just about fell over himself. "What are _you_ doing here?" He asked, giving her a disbelieving look. "Weren't _we_ supposed to meet _you_?"

"The attack has been called off Genma; Tsunade didn't think we could handle them without you four." She looked around the tent, raising an eyebrow. Naruto was pouting in the corner, Kakashi was on the floor, and Shizune and Genma looked rather shell-shocked. "Why, I'm not exactly sure." She shrugged. "Anyway, we're here to rescue you, and drag you back to Konoha. Especially _him_." Anko jerked her head in Naruto's direction before turning back to Kakashi, who was struggling to get to his feet in a rather un-ninja-esque way. "Who the hell is that anyway?" She asked, catching sight of the Yondaime's yellow hair when Kakashi moved his arm out of her line of sight.

"Anko, Yondaime. Yondaime, Anko." Kakashi said dryly, dusting off his knees. The Yondaime stood up as well, using the bench to pull himself up. "I trust you remember who he was, or, I suppose, is?" Anko's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the Yondaime, standing a few feet behind Kakashi, apparently wary of being knocked over again. She looked the blond up and down, trying to find something that would tell her it wasn't who Kakashi said it was, and who her brain was insisting it was.

"That's not possible." She croaked finally, turning away from him to look directly at Kakashi. "Not even Orochimaru should be able to do this. You know he died almost seventeen years ago now." Her voice was the same as Kakashi's had been initially, pleading for someone to reassure her, tell her that it was all a trick.

"I know. Thanks to the Sandaime's infinite wisdom, I'm reminded of it everyday." Kakashi said bitterly, not even bothering to glance in Naruto's direction, they all knew what he was talking about. Genma sighed; apparently he'd been right then. He had to wonder though, what the Sandaime thought he could accomplish by doing that. It wasn't like forcing Kakashi to face the boy everyday was going to make him forget, it most likely just made it worse.

The Yondaime glared at Kakashi again, hands sliding up to rest on his hips. "I told you all. I'm not this person, and I'd appreciate it if you would stop referring to me as such." Anko's lips twitched, but she gave no further sign that she had heard him. Shizune and Genma didn't even do that, even Kakashi just ignored him. "Did you hear me? I don't think you want me to go and get Uchi-" Anko's arm whipped out, and she hit him on the back of the neck with the side of her hand. Only Kakashi's fast reactions stopped him from crashing to the floor.

"We had better get out of here now. Before Uchiha realizes that half of his guards are dead." Anko said, turning to Naruto at last. "Come on Blondie. We're here to rescue you so you can stop pouting any time now." Naruto turned around, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a scowl on his face.

"I'm not going." Naruto said calmly, looking Kakashi straight in the eye as he spoke to Anko. "I'm going to stay here. You all can leave now, don't worry about me." He looked at them all defiantly, daring them to argue with him. A few seconds passed in silence, the Anbu team giving Anko confused looks, clearly looking for her to give them some sort of answer. The silence was only broken when Genma swore.

He took a tentative step forward; ready to meet Naruto's challenge if it meant not having to explain to Tsunade why Naruto hadn't come back with them. "If this is about what Kakashi said-" He started, only to have his voice trail off at the angry look Naruto gave him. Biting his lip, he continued, not willing to just give up on the Jounin that easily. "If it is, you don't have to prove anything to us Naruto. It would be pointless for you to stay here, you'd just be handed Orochimaru another weapon, is that what you want?"

"I don't care. There is something I need to do here, so I'm going to do it. Don't try to stop me, you know you can't." Naruto said sharply, seeing an Anbu reach for his katana. Anko held up a hand when the Anbu looked to her for permission of sorts. Naruto gave them all a bitter half smile. "I've been messing around for four years now; it's about time I actually do something about it. It was my mission, and I failed it."

Resigned, Genma sighed. "And if you can't?" Shizune, realizing that Genma had given in, was about to speak up, but Genma held up a hand in a mimic of Anko, and Shizune dropped it. She didn't, however, stop worrying. They were all in for a whole lot of screaming when Tsunade learned that they had _let_ Naruto stay behind, without even attempting to knock him out and carry him over one of their shoulders.

"I'll drag him back kicking and screaming if I have to. Just watch me." Scary thing was, not one person in the tent doubted it even for a second.

* * *

It was pure luck that Anko and the others managed to get out of the camp before they were noticed, if you asked him. Of course, people very seldom asked him, either because they just really didn't want to talk to him, or his opinion really didn't make a difference. Either way, they were lucky, and that was all that mattered. Sighing in relief, Naruto turned away from the tent flap. "Boo."

And jumped right out of his skin. Uchiha Sasuke, arms crossed much like Naruto's had been just minutes ago, was standing about three inches from his face, wearing a rather blank look. Suddenly, he found himself doubting the existence of the aforementioned luck. "Sasuke." He said wearily, watching the older boy carefully, not daring to move. "If you knew what was happening, and have been standing here the whole time, why did you let them go? Your guards are going to be suspicious."

"Because the only one I needed was already staying behind." Sasuke replied with a small smirk on his face, one Naruto hadn't seen for a while now. Naruto shrugged, not in the mood for word games right now. He wasn't even sure if they had even gotten all the way out of the camp, for all he knew they could have run into more guards, ones who hadn't been taken out on their way in. Of course, it would only cause more problems for him if they were brought back, problems such as why he was chummy with the enemy. Not questions he was prepared to answer any time soon.

"I can live with that. I take it that's why they didn't have any trouble getting through your little barrier?" He asked, not really caring about the answer. There wasn't any point to the question at all, he already knew the answer, this was all just for show. Just for show. To pretend that he hadn't known that Sasuke already knew all about this little escape of theirs, to pretend that he hadn't known that this was exactly the way this was going to go. Of course, the Yondaime had been an extra little surprise. "Don't bother answering; I have a better question for you Sasuke. What exactly _is_ your master thinking?"

The smirk was gone, replaced with a scowl. "I know no more than you do about it. He showed up with an armed escort this afternoon, demanding to be taken to see you. I didn't expect to see him either. Of course, _I_ recognized him. It wasn't like I could say no." Naruto snorted, clearly not believing a word. "And don't call him that. He's no more my master then _you _are."

Naruto looped his arms around Sasuke's neck, glad once he had gotten over the initial shock that the other boy was so close. He seemed to have forgotten that they were in a canvas tent, which was completely see-through due to the candle at the center casting their shadows on the tent wall. Though, they were certainly close enough that they were only casting the one shadow. "Wrong choice of words, Sasuke-teme."

"Dobe." But Sasuke's hands were resting on the small of Naruto's back, pulling him even closer. His hair was falling in his face as a result of not caring enough to get it cut, or even take a swipe at it with a kunai. Naruto rested his forehead against the other boy's, grinning cheekily.

"They didn't have a clue." He said proudly, causing Sasuke to roll his eyes. "I told you I could pull it off just fine, didn't I?" He paused to make what probably would have been an indignant noise, but he never did get around to it. Mainly because Sasuke took the opportunity to press his lips against the blonde's, knowing very well that if he didn't take this chance, he wouldn't get another, as Naruto seemed to think that closing his mouth would result in some sort of calamity. For once, he was right.

The tent flap opened; a sliver of moonlight shining through the gap. Naruto jerked back, away from Sasuke, gasping slightly. Raising a hand, he swiped it across his mouth, brushing away a strand of saliva before wiping his hand off on his shorts. "Fuck." He muttered bitterly, glancing up at Sasuke, who looked rather like a deer caught in headlights. "Four months apart and can't even have a lousy kiss without being interrupted. Typical."

"Sir?" The shinobi said, eyeing Naruto curiously, but knowing better than to question his leader, on fear of death. One thing that could be said about Orochimaru was that he plain didn't tolerate dissention in the ranks, over _anything_. So it really was better just to keep his mouth shut; however shocking what he happened to walk in on was. And this rated pretty high, considering it wasn't everyday he caught his drop dead gorgeous yet antisocial superior lip locked with a prisoner. Not that the prisoner wasn't equally attractive, even that covered in grime and blood. But it definitely wasn't something that happened every day, or even once before today, and he had a feeling that following in Uchiha's footsteps would not be well received. They were a little too familiar for his liking, but, as already mentioned, questioning your superiors was not the best idea if you wanted to live through the night. He knew the prisoners were shinobi from Konoha village, and had heard more rumors then he could count that that was where Uchiha had been recruited from, so it only made sense that he had been acquainted with their prisoners. Or should he say prisoner? He sighed, more work for them it seemed. "Should I send some of our men to search for the escaped prisoners sir!"

Sasuke, having recovered almost immediately from the shock, as customary for a shinobi of his caliber, scoffed. "Don't be a fool. Do you think you'll be able to capture them? It was… A fluke that we captured them the first time. It would be a waste of time and energy. Besides, we have both things that we came for; the Sharingan and the Kyuubi."

"Sasuke-sama! A message has just arrived from Orochimaru-sama, I've been looking for you eve-" Another shinobi burst into the tent, stopping short when he saw Naruto. "Oh." He glanced around the tent, looking quite confused and not a little pathetic. "Where are the other prisoners sir!" Naruto crossed his arms and rolled his eyes; it was becoming more and more obvious that the majority of Orochimaru's slaves were handpicked for both their strength and stupidity. Apparently aware of what Naruto was thinking, Sasuke shot him a warning look, clearly imploring him to keep his damn mouth shut. Naruto just grinned.

"Tsuzuki, explain to him somewhere else." Sasuke commanded, and the other two shinobi turned to go. "But first," he added, and they froze. "Give me that message." The newest arrival, exchanging a look with Tsuzuki, turned back, the message clasped in his shaking hand. Naruto tapped his foot impatiently, and received an elbow in the side for his troubles. Glaring at the back of Sasuke's head when the older boy stepped forward to take scroll, Naruto muttered something under his breath. He just _knew_ it wasn't an accident when Sasuke's heel ground into his foot when he stepped back again.

Unrolling the scroll with one hand, he waved his subordinates away with the other. Naruto sidled over to try and read over Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke just gave him a look, and kept reading, moving the scroll over so that Naruto had to drape himself across the Uchiha to see the words. There was no ulterior motive behind this of course, none what so ever. Or so Sasuke told himself as he took advantage of the blond being off balance to pull him even more off balance and into his arms, the letter from Orochimaru falling onto the floor, already forgotten.

Not that Naruto was complaining though.

* * *

Genma wished he could have said that he hadn't looked back once when they had snuck out of the camp. He wished he could say that he had faith in Naruto, and that there was no doubt in his mind that he would come back to Konoha without even a scratch. Unfortunately, there were times when it was really in your best interest to lie to yourself, and this, of course, was one of them. He had doubts, who of them didn't? Except for the Yondaime, but he was unconscious, so he didn't really count. Anyway, it was only natural to be worried for Naruto's safety, as they had just, quite literally, left him in the snake pit. True, Naruto _had _been beating himself up about this for four years now, and understandably too. Sasuke had been his rival, his teammate, and his best friend, and he hadn't even been able to save him from himself. There was a lot of guilt involved there, as he knew well enough. But that did _not_ mean he had to throw away his (rather bright) future on a lost cause.

Yes, lost cause. There was no way the Uchiha could be saved now. There was just too much blood on his hands, even if Naruto managed to drag him away from Orochimaru in the first place, which was highly doubtful, as much as Genma hated to say it. But Naruto couldn't seem to grasp that. Genma quickly turned his barking laugh into a cough when Anko glanced over her shoulder at him. Smiling wryly, Genma shook his head. He really wasn't in any position to be ragging on Naruto, to be honest. He knew how hard it was to admit defeat, to admit that you were losing someone, and that there was nothing you could do to stop them from slipping away.

The helplessness a person felt in that situation was horrible, painfully so. It was an ache that never went away, just burrowed deeper into your heart until they were gone, and then it stayed there, eating away at your humanity. He knew, he'd been there. You pushed people away because you knew they didn't understand the guilt that tormented you, day and night. The guilt that made you wonder how things could have been different if you had just done this, or that, had done one tiny thing differently. It was those kinds of doubts that drove people insane. After awhile, you start pulling people back, if only because you can't stand the loneliness for just one second longer. If only because you crave for the comfort and peace that others seem to possess so easily. If only because every time you're alone you hear _them_, the one you have lost, screaming.

Genma closed his eyes briefly, trying to ignore the constricting pain in his chest. It wasn't a cheerful train of thought, and always inevitably led to moping on his part. But he felt he deserved to mope; he had put up with a lot in his life time. This pain, it wasn't something he would ever wish on someone else, no matter who they were and what they had done (well, maybe Orochimaru, but he's a special case). It wasn't the kind of thing to be taken lightly, and fortunately, it didn't happen often. He just had the luck of knowing people that didn't seem to play by the normal rules.

There was one way for that kind of pain to go away, to heal. It wasn't an option for most people, as the one way was for you to be beside them again. To be able to see them everyday, just for the hell of it, and not have to worry that they'll be snatched away, turn out just to be the wishful dream of a crazy man. It didn't happen often, but every now and then… Again, as he said, he had the luck of knowing some very unusual people. Genma, mimicking Anko, glanced over his shoulder at Kakashi, knowing the ex-Anbu wouldn't see him. Kakashi's eye was trained on the Yondaime's shock of blond hair, just visible over the shoulder of the Anbu he was being carried by. Genma allowed a small smile to cross his face; some people got lucky.

Not Naruto though; there was no way Sasuke was still savable, not with all that he had done. He had willingly gone to Orochimaru, had _chosen_ to leave Naruto, and everyone else, behind. That wasn't the sort of thing you came back from. Genma sighed, his eyes blinking rapidly even as his mind denied that it even considered crying. He had lost so much in this god damn war, and here Naruto was, trying to save one of the causes for it. He knew what the Jounin was going through, and knew that it would be better for him just to give up. He also knew that that was one thing that was never going to happen, no matter how many times people tried to explain to Naruto that the Uchiha had made his choice, and, like Orochimaru, he had chosen power over right. Genma knew, that if _his_ person was still alive, he wouldn't ever stop trying to save them.

The circumstances were different though, and he couldn't fathom how Naruto thought there was still hope for Sasuke.

Of course, love is blind.

* * *

**a/n**: I. Am. So. Sorry. A lot has been happening, including spring break, and lots of homework, and night school, and jaw problems… Okay, not really a good excuse, but at least I finished, right? Heh. I know better than to make promises for the next chapter, but I really hope it won't be 2 and half weeks again… TT I can't believe it. That's just sad… I typed the first scene in a few days, and then there was the second… Which I typed in 30 minutes, but took 2 weeks to get around to. –sigh– pathetic, huh?

**Bunch-o-Nuts**: That word… That word being soon, if you have no idea what I'm talking about. Oops? Thanks though, I'm glad you enjoy it!

**LKJ**: Uh, thanks?

**Hujin**: -grins- Twists are fun. Can you tell I enjoy them muchly? (Yeah, they met already )

**Starry096**: Yes… Regularly… Happy to know you like it though!

**Smoking Panda**: More Naruto lines! I told you they would happen! –grins- Of course, he probably wont be back for a chapter or so, but he will have _more_ lines when he is!

**Angstluver**: Again, it should be so simple.


	16. Altruistic

**No More Dead Heroes

* * *

**

**Chapter 16: Altruistic

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**

_Times have changed and loyalties are shifting faster than the eye can follow. Its bad and it only gets worse when Orochimaru's army makes its debut. You can't know who to trust, because you don't know who anyone is anymore. dark, shonen-ai

* * *

_

_I'm slipping away_

_I'm slipping away_

_In every way...

* * *

_

"Smile Kiba." Kiba muttered to himself under his breath as he followed the guard down the cell block row. "Whatever else you do, you have to _smile_. Don't let him see how wrong everything is, just smile and it'll all be okay." The guard didn't even turn when Kiba's voice rose slightly when he tried to force the word okay past his lips. It was harder than he would have expected, but that was only because he didn't believe it was possible for it ever to be better. Gritting his teeth painfully, he smiled as though in pain a few feet away from, far enough that he couldn't quite see in yet, Shino's cell; set slightly apart from the others.

The smile faded immediately. Feeling a sob rise in his throat, Kiba choked it back, staring through the cell bars in despair. If he hadn't known Shino so well, he wouldn't have recognized the Chuunin, or even have seen him huddled against the back wall of the cell. The Aburame had been back in Konoha for five days and only now had Kiba been able to convince Tsunade that he wouldn't murder the guard and free Shino.

Now that he saw him, he was sorely tempted to do just that.

Kiba turned to the guard, his eyes hard. "Let me in." The man hesitated, pausing a moment to weigh the rules over his life. Reaching the obvious conclusion, he pushed his jacket back to pull the key ring off his belt. Separating one key from the others, he slid it into the lock, but before he turned it, he looked at Kiba.

"He's not stable. He's still in shock, it's doubtful he'll recognize you. We had to move him to solitary confinement three days ago, because the thieves we had him in with tried to kill him when they found out he was a missing-nin. The Hokage herself came down after we moved him and he had no idea who she was." When Kiba didn't reply, didn't even look away from Shino, the guard sighed and unlocked the cell door. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Sliding through the narrow opening the guard allowed him, Kiba fought to keep his hands unclenched as he walked across the open expanse of the cell hesitantly. As long as he kept his distance, he wouldn't have to find out if what the guard said was true. If it was, he wasn't sure _what_ he would do; it wasn't like he could exactly talk freely to his boyfriend with a guard right there. It just didn't work like that though; he couldn't just stand there and watch Shino pull even further away from him.

The closer he got, the clearer he could see the crisscross of cuts and scrapes on Shino's body, the bruises on his elbows and shoulders, presumably from both being beaten on and fighting back. He couldn't see the Aburame's face, as it was turned towards the wall. "Hey." He said softly, wincing noticeably when he turned his face further away from him. Kneeling in front of Shino, Kiba put a gentle, but calloused, hand on the other boy's chin, turning his face carefully so that he could see whatever he was hiding. Kiba had to close his eyes to steady himself when he saw it. He swallowed heavily, fighting to keep his breakfast down.

It was clear Tsunade had been here, but the presence of a guard would have stopped her from doing anything too fantastic. He could picture her now, in his mind's eye, doing the same thing he had, and, under the guise of examining the injury, done what she could to take away the pain. The outward appearance would have remained though, and it was horrifying enough on its own without the dried blood that had dripped down one side of Shino's face. His right cheekbone had been smashed in, and the right eye was heavily ringed with black and green, and it was obvious that Shino had to fight to keep it open as he looked into Kiba's own eyes.

Taking a few deep breathes, Kiba, without turning, spoke harshly to the guard. "Bring me a wet cloth." When the guard hesitated, Kiba rolled his eyes. "What could I do with that? If I wanted to fight my way out of here, I wouldn't need a god damn rag, so just bring it to me before I lose my patience!" The guard, fortunately for him, knew better than to point out that the Inuzuka did not, in fact, have any patience. Instead, he relocked the door, put away the key, and hurried off without looking back.

When he could no longer hear the guard's footsteps, Kiba let his shoulders relax slightly. Releasing his grip on Shino's already bruised chin, Kiba wrapped his arms around the other boy carefully, making sure not to aggravate any cuts or apply pressure on any bruises. Gently, he eased Shino away from the wall, biting his lower lip to keep from crying out when he saw the smear of blood on the wall Shino had been leaning on. The same blood, keeping Shino's thin shirt stuck to his back, covered Kiba's hands and arms, the smell of it flooding his sensitive nose.

Pivoting slightly, Kiba slid behind Shino so that his own back was against the wall, his spine being pressed uncomfortably. Shino, though not completely sitting on him, was twisted so that his back was against Kiba's chest, his head on the Chuunin's shoulder. Kiba could feel the cut on Shino's back opening up, the blood flowing freely onto him. It was all he could do to keep from screaming at the state the other boy was in; he couldn't even tell which injuries were from his frantic run through the forest, and which were from his ex-cellmates.

He did know that if he ever ran into them after they were released; they were going to wish they had never left the safety of their prison cell. "Careful Kiba," he whispered to himself, noting with distress that Shino didn't even appear to notice that he had spoken. Trying not to disturb the Chuunin, but feeling the side affects of sitting like this already, he pushed himself away from the wall slightly, so that he was sitting on more of an angle, before continuing. "Its thoughts like that," he said, "that will land you in one of these cells yourself."

Closing his eyes, and fighting the need to protect his nose from the intoxicating smell of fresh blood, Kiba tried to forget that the body he held so close to his own was so broken. It was hard though, when every tiny move he made was met by a slight whimper of pain from Shino. He was saved from having to listen to this for too long by the return of the guard, who, if he thought anything of his prisoner being coddled, wisely didn't say anything, choosing instead to throw Kiba the cloth through the bars and then turn his back on them under the guise of checking to see if there was anyone else in the corridor.

Holding the wet rag in his left hand, the right one supporting Shino under his ribs, Kiba tried as best he could to clean the blood off of the right side of the Aburame's face without causing him too much added pain. He winced when Shino did, and only biting down furiously on his bottom lip kept him from yelling at the guard for letting the other boy reach this state.

When he had done as much as he could, Kiba let the rag drop to the ground, trying to ignore that red splotch it left on the cement when it rolled away from where it had landed. He found himself as angry with Tsunade as he was with the prison guards; she had been Hokage long enough, she should have known that some prisoners need to be isolated for their own safety. And she could have done more for Shino's pain, she could have told the guards, if they questioned her, the likelihood of which was doubtful, that she would rather have him healthy and coherent for the trial and ensuing execution, so that he understood what was happening and why. There were a million other options, most of which would not have resulted in _this_.

And then he realized that he was angry with himself as well; an anger mixed with a fair amount of self-disgust. If there were a million other roads that Tsunade could have taken, there were at least twice as many for him, ones that maybe could have kept Shino from throwing away his life like this.

Kiba, and any one else who had ever trained at the Academy, knew that the moment you started to doubt yourself, you were in trouble. But how could he _not_ doubt himself? When the only person he had ever cared about lay dying, yes _dying_, in a cell, with only execution to look forward to if he survived his injuries, there was no way he couldn't doubt. What ifs kept crowding his mind, different scenarios played themselves out at the back of his consciousness, possibilities that he had missed ran over and over, echoing in his ears, all surrounded by the ever growing fear for Shino's life.

When the guard coughed subtly from out in the hall, signaling the end of Kiba's visit, Kiba tightened his arms around Shino before letting go of the boy entirely, dropping a kiss in his singed and matted black hair before disentangling himself from him. Going to stand up, Kiba couldn't hide his relief when Shino grabbed his arm, his nails digging into the scarred skin. He hated to pry him off, but he did so, ruffling Shino's hair as he walked away slowly, not able to tear his eyes away from the doomed Chuunin.

Sliding back out the cell the same way he had entered, Kiba winced when the door clanged shut again and the guard relocked it. By the time the guard had returned the key ring to his belt, Shino had pulled himself back into the corner, the solid concrete wall replacing the crook of Kiba's neck. Reluctantly, Kiba followed the guard out of the prison and back onto the bright sunny streets of Konoha, blinking painfully as the sun hit his eyes, which had grown accustom to the gloom of Shino's cell even in the short time he had been there.

As he parted from the guard, he couldn't resist giving the young man a cold look. "I'll be back tomorrow." He said firmly, and when the guard was about to argue, he silenced him with a look. "I'll come with another note from Tsunade, don't get all worked up. This time though, I don't want to arrive to see him hiding in a corner, sitting on the floor. There had damn well better be at least a mattress in there for him to sleep on tonight. Or I'm holding you personally responsible." And with those lovely parting words, he turned and walked away, his mind still back in the dark corners of Shino's cell, the scent of blood still assaulting his sensitive nose.

* * *

_  
I can't stay awake_

_And I don't know why_

_I'm slipping away_

_And I don't know why...

* * *

_

"Hinata-sensei?" Kin's voice was clear and strong, despite the smoke that was filling the air. This was the fourth bridge they had destroyed in six days, and they were all becoming accustomed to the thick, billowing smoke that accompanied the explosion. Hinata herself was inspecting what was left of the bridge, making sure it was sufficiently damaged. The first bridge they had done had required two charges before it had tumbled into the river below.

So far they had been lucky and hadn't run into any enemy shinobi. Unfortunately, Hinata knew it was only a matter of time, considering where they were. Every night when they made camp she made the two Genins practice with their weapons, their jutsus, and their hand to hand combat. After all that, which took around three hours, they would take turns sparring with her. So far, neither of them had been able to land a single blow on her, mainly because they both had heard stories about the Hyuuga Clan and their fearful Bloodlimit. Of course, the stories had mostly been about Neji, which was a nice change from the other stories that usually followed him, but he _was_ the strongest of the Hyuuga Clan, making the Genins unnecessarily wary.

"Hinata-sensei!" Kin shouted it this time, bringing Hinata out of her semi-trance, and she declared the bridge officially out of commission before hurrying over to the kunoichi. Kin was supporting Takumi with one arm around his waist so that he could lean on her. Why this was became painfully clear to Hinata when she saw the wooden stake that had driven itself into the boy's leg. Presumably, the wood had gone flying when the charge had gone off, and Takumi had been unlucky enough to be in its path.

Swearing softly under her breath, Hinata helped Kin to move the boy away from the smoke, setting him down only when there was a soft carpet of grass below her feet. Takumi's face was stoic, but his hands gave him away for in pain, shaking like leaves even as he dug them into the ground around him. She didn't quite understand how this had happened, Takumi was a careful kid, and he listened to her. With every other bridge they had destroyed he had stood well back, on lookout like she had directed him. It was usually him who reminded Kin that she shouldn't get too close when Hinata lit the fuse.

Before, Hinata had wondered why Tsunade had requisitioned them dynamite as opposed to Exploding Notes, she had a feeling this may have had something to do with it. The Notes were known for their high powered explosions, which sent debris flying everywhere. If they had been using Notes instead of dynamite, they would have had to get even further away from the target before it went off, making it more difficult for them to make sure that the bridge had collapsed. That still didn't explain how Takumi had been close enough for the blast to actually do damage to him.

Shaking her head to clear it, which also helped to lessen the ringing in her ears, Hinata tried to focus on the task at hand. Namely, getting that piece of wood out of Takumi's leg. Gritting her teeth, Hinata braced herself against the ground with one foot and motioned for Kin to press down above the wound. Even as she yanked on the wood, and tried to block out Takumi's scream as it splintered, leaving slivers behind, she had to wonder why Tsunade had considered her the strongest of the five. Only six days in and she had managed to get one of the Genins seriously wounded…

Quickly, as soon as the main piece was out of Takumi's leg, Hinata grabbed a bottle of water from her pouch. Tearing the top off with her teeth, she emptied it on the gash, hoping to flush all the splinters of wood out of his flesh. She ignored the sharp gasp from the Genin when she ordered Kin to press down harder, and, feeling slightly squeamish, used her own hands to clean the wound further. Pulling out the last sliver, she poured the last of the water over it again, and tossed the bottle aside. Using one hand to help Kin slow the blood flow, Hinata fished in her pouch for a roll of bandage.

She fumbled with it for a moment, trying to find the end. Finally, she took her hand away from Takumi's leg to prepare the bandage. Taking a deep breath, she began to wrap the wound, ignoring the waves of blood that stained the bandage faster than she could wrap it. Hinata pulled the bandage tighter and felt Takumi's muscles contract in pain below her hands. Biting down on her lower lip, she pressed down on the top of the cut, and continued to layer the bandage, rolling it over top of her hand.

When she got to the end of the bandage, she slid her hand out and tugged on the edge to tighten it up and fill the gap her hand had left. Immediately, red soaked through to the top, despite the pressure both Kin and the bandage had on the wound. "Damn this." Hinata muttered, and, not stopping to allow herself time to think about what she was about to do, shoved Kin's hands out of her way, ignoring the girl's questions. Slamming her own hands down in their place, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Clenching her jaw, she shoved chakra through her hands into Takumi's leg, closing the chakra holes on his upper leg. When she felt her chakra meet resistance, she pushed harder, and only when she could send the chakra no further did she pull away from the Genin. She watched the wound closely through the bandage, resting her hand on top of them. When she pulled her hand away and it was only covered in a few smudges of blood from the cloth, Hinata sighed in relief. "Move your toes." She demanded, and watched Takumi's foot carefully as he did. She allowed herself a grim smile at her accomplishment; she hadn't damaged any muscles then. Feeling the area above the wound for anything unusual, she broke into a full fledged grin.

By closing the chakra holes, and then tightening the entire chakra system in that part of Takumi's leg around the blood vessels, she had been able to divert all but the bare minimum of his blood around the wound and down different paths to its final destinations. A biological work of art really, it was amazing she had even been able to do it at all, let alone successfully.

Unfortunately, they weren't out of the woods yet, not only would she have to keep a close eye on the cut for infection, but she would have to make sure that other parts of the leg weren't dying from lack of blood, or, on the opposite side of the spectrum, an overflow of it. But despite all that, Takumi wouldn't suffer any of the side affects of blood loss, like dizziness or fatigue, so they wouldn't have to turn back, or even take a break until the bleeding slowed.

It was nice to know that, for once, there was something that she could do that no one else could.

Wiping her hands on the grass to clean them, she inspected the bandage. Would it be better to just leave that one on, or to replace it with a fresh one, now that she wouldn't have to worry about him bleeding out in the meantime? Making up her mind quickly, Hinata reached for another bandage roll with one hand, at the same time undoing the fasteners on the old one. Unwrapping it quickly, she pushed it out of her way, leaving it to drip blood on the grass. She smiled again when she saw the wound, with only a small pool of blood on the exposed flesh, keeping it moist. Mentally patting herself on the back, Hinata put the new bandage on, fastening it a little looser this time so that it wouldn't impede the new circulation system she had fashioned for Takumi.

Of course, if this was successful, and she had a feeling it would be, she would either have to do the same to the other leg to balance it out, or rewire the one she had altered now. It was possible that it would actually enhance his muscle performance, once the wound itself healed sufficiently, and in that case she wouldn't hesitate to do the same to his right leg. But it could also have adverse side affects on the rest of his body; perhaps put too much strain on his heart. And maybe the blood vessels she had chosen to carry more blood would be overly stressed, perhaps even burst. Then, she would have to change it back as soon as possible, even if it meant having to go back to Konoha to have Takumi professionally treated. Which ever it was though, it would have to wait until she knew for sure what kind of effect this had on Takumi.

Hinata rocked back on her heels, ignoring the curious looks on both of her students' faces. With any luck, the little altercations she had done would have also diminished the pain Takumi was feeling, and, if the bewildered expression he had was anything to go by, she had been damn efficient in that regard. "I've diverted the blood flow in your leg. You let me know the second it gets numb, hear?" She ordered Takumi, her voice harder than she had intended, but it had the desired effect. The Genin nodded dumbly, and Kin just stared at her Sensei in something that looked a little like awe.

Guiltily, Hinata looked away from the pair. She certainly didn't deserve that admiration; all she had done was fix something she had caused, something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. She couldn't just come out and say so of course, because that would be to admit a mistake, and as soon as she did that, they would cease to see her as someone who could protect them, but someone who was merely human, and when that happened, well, it could only go downhill from there…

Forcing herself to her feet, Hinata grabbed the dirty bandage off the grass, ignoring the bloodstain it left on the ground. Walking over to the river's edge, she looked down at the swirling water so far below. It looked so out of control, in such a hurry to go, where? She watched it for a minute, watching the water forced down its path by the vicious current that had driven it this far. Seeing it like this, she knew the only thing that kept it from leaping up to devour her was gravity; which pressed it down until the last possible moment, but, she also knew that the time would come when it would break away and race free and destroy her. The fact that she was no longer referring to the water was all too clear to her.

The Genins, watching their Sensei stare over the cliff's edge as though in a trance, couldn't even bring themselves to wonder what she was thinking. They had a feeling that whatever it was, they really didn't want to know. Pity how right they were, no one would want to know that the one person they relied on to protect them was being kept sane only by the fact that there were others who needed her, who would suffer if she gave into the pain.

See, she knew something about Orochimaru's plans that no one else did. Something that, the moment she acknowledged it as a real problem, would be come all too real for her handle. But if she didn't acknowledge it, people were going to die, a lot of people, people whom she had known her entire life, people whom she had once relied on herself to survive. It was almost funny, now that she thought of it like that. Almost, but not quite. She couldn't do anything about it, because the minute she did, the people who relied on her would be defenseless, but if she stayed like this, the people _she_ relied on would be dead before they even knew they were fighting for their lives.

* * *

_  
I'm trying to make it through each day_

_I'm falling apart now in every way_

_I'm finding harder to get by_

_There's a hole in my heart_

_And I don't know why_

_Now I've come to realize..._

* * *

Neji eyed the threadbare blanket they had been given with distaste. It had been thrown into their cell along with breakfast this morning, and it hadn't moved from where it had landed as neither had been all too eager to touch it before they had to. But it was night time now, and the cell had gotten rather cold. It certainly wasn't heated, and the floor, walls, and ceiling were made of cement. Neji sighed, and reached a gloved hand out to the scrap of cloth hesitantly. Shikamaru watched him nervously, as though he was expecting the blanket to explode as soon as the Anbu touched it. Wrapping his fingers around it, he pulled it towards himself, flinching as dust settled on the floor each time the blanket moved an inch. The thing was absolutely filthy, and trying to get the dust and dirt off of it would only make them dirtier, not to mention their cell. "I hate to say it, but we might be better off freezing to death." Shikamaru said dryly, his face wrinkling in disgust as Neji held the blanket off the ground at arm's length, looking it over. He waved it carefully, coughing as dust flew into his mouth and nose.

"What, are you saying a little dirt is worth than death?" Neji asked, a small smile on his lips as he turned away from the blanket to watch Shikamaru's antics as he tried to avoid the dust that was flying off the gray cloth. For someone so lazy and unmotivated, he sure had a lot of energy sometimes. Well, he supposed it had to go somewhere; it probably just stored up and was unleashed at random intervals. It was pretty amusing though, especially when the only other entertainment was counting the cracks in the walls.

"Speak for yourself, _you're_ wearing black." Shikamaru grumbled, with a pointed look at his gray shorts. Well, they used to be gray. Now they were splattered with dirt, grime, and most of all, blood. His shirt was worse off, not to mention in tatters. Neji glanced at the cut on Shikamaru's chest, wincing when he noticed how bad it looked. They had saved half of their water on the first day to try and clean their wounds, which had been much harder than it had any right to be. They had ended up using one of Neji's gloves as a cloth, dipping it in the water and then wiping away as much dirt as they could from the worst cuts. The rest of the water they had drank, as neither of them was feeling their best after the drugs had completely worn off.

Once that was done, they had spent the rest of their time trying to keep warm and talking. There wasn't much to talk about unfortunately, as most subjects managed to make them even more depressed, and Shikamaru had to be constantly wary of any topic that could remind Neji of Gaara, and thus make him clam up again, and probably find a corner to sulk in. Needless to say, that wouldn't do either of them any good.

Tearing his eyes away from the cut on Shikamaru's chest, Neji's smile faded. "As soon as we get out of here we're going to need to get the cut looked at, so it doesn't get infected." Neither of them bothered to voice the fact that they might not be getting out that easy, it was common knowledge. They had been betting on Shikamaru recovering enough chakra to catch their next visitor with the _kage mane_, but they had realized early on that there was some kind of chakra dampener on the cell block. It had become painfully obvious when Shikamaru had collapsed trying to test how far he could stretch his shadow.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, touching the wound gently with one hand. "It's really not that bad Neji. I just need to wash it out, and we can do that with out a medic you know." Neji just raised an eyebrow, and, reaching out with his left hand, poked Shikamaru in the chest. The Jounin flinched, biting his lip. "Okay, okay, so maybe it's a _little _sore. But we can just continue the mission; we don't need to stop-"

Neji dropped the blanket on the ground, and scooted closer to Shikamaru. "Idiot." He said softly, shaking his head slightly. He sat up straight with a very un-Neji-like smirk on his face and flicked Shikamaru on the forehead. "We'll have plenty of time to stop and get you fixed up before we get to the Hidden Mist. You aren't going to do anyone any good if you drop dead in the middle of a fight. I'd rather not have to deal with the consequences if you died on my watch besides. We both know Tsunade would jump at the chance to take me out of the Anbu, the only reason she doesn't is that she could justify it. Let's not give her the chance, hmm?"

"She wouldn't do something like that Neji, why would-" Shikamaru paused, something dawning on him. "Oh." He looked down, away from Neji, if one wished to be technical. His dark eyes were troubled as he considered a few things. There was the one reason, the painfully obvious one, but there was another as well; one that he wouldn't normally have considered a problem, or even have realized that it had the potential to become a problem. He didn't particularly like to think that it _would_ be a problem to the Godaime, it made her seem like somewhat of a lesser person in his eyes when that was taken into consideration. But, as much as he hated to admit it, it made sense, too much sense really. He looked up at Neji, wincing when his eyes focused on the red gash on the ANBU's face before looking into the blank the white eyes of the Hyuuga clan. "Is that why she only promoted you now then?"

A wry smile twisted Neji's lips. "Funny to think that who you love could have an impact on whether you're promoted or not, isn't it?"

"You loved him?" Shikamaru couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice when he said that. It came out before he could think about what he was saying; immediately, he wished he could take it back.

At first, Neji looked just as shocked as he did, but his expression changed from one of surprise to one of anger in mere seconds. Before Shikamaru could even register what was happening, Neji was hitting him. Hard. The first punch landed on his upper arm, sending shooting pains through his body when his chest wound was aggravated. The second clipped his jaw, and when he looked up, the expressionless white eyes were gone, replaced by the Byakugan. Neji scrambled to his feet, one hand grabbing Shikamaru's t-shirt collar, dragging him up with him. As soon as he was standing steadily, Neji dropped the cloth and, bringing one leg back slightly to put more power behind his next blow, struck out at Shikamaru again, arms and fists a whirlwind, and it was all Shikamaru could do to block every other one.

Throwing one arm up just in time to stop a punch that would have hit him full on in the face, Shikamaru attempted to sweep Neji's feet out from under him by crouching slightly and using his assailant's arm to keep his balance while he whipped one leg around. He had forgotten who he was fighting. Neji sidestepped it easily and used the Jounin's moment off balance to slam him against the cell wall, one arm sliding up under his chin and pressing against his throat.

Neji was breathing heavily, and his white eyes were wild as he stared into Shikamaru's dark ones, Shikamaru trying in vain to breath. He scrabbled at Neji's arm desperately, his tired and shaky hands not able to get a purchase on the ANBU's black glove. The slash across his chest ached, and he knew he would have at least a few new bruises soon. Needless to say, Neji was the last person he had expected to have to protect himself from.

There was a faint click behind Neji, and the sudden feeling of their chakra flowing back to them full force. With a gasp, Neji clutched at his chest with both hands, freeing Shikamaru. They both fell to their knees on the floor, breathing heavily for very different reasons. Shikamaru touched one hand to his throat carefully, wincing when his fingers brushed against the sore skin. He shuddered involuntarily, who knew what might have happened next if it weren't for… well, whatever it was.

He dared a glance at Neji, who was grappling at his chest as though he was trying to reach right through to his heart. Obviously in pain, the Hyuuga's eyes had returned to normal, and his mouth was hanging open as he tried to gulp up air. Shikamaru felt no sympathy. Perhaps he shouldn't have said what he had, but trying to kill him in return… It didn't exactly add up in his mind.

Apparently the Hyuuga had been driven further over the edge than he had let on. Maybe he didn't have as much control as they all thought. It wouldn't be the first time that a shinobi had lost it, or come so close that they could taste the madness, it wouldn't be the last. Shikamaru knew that there were shinobi he knew personally, that he had worked with from time to time, who had lost themselves, had spent years in a darkness so complete that it had taken a miracle to bring them back. He also knew that it was only a matter of time before those same shinobi lost it again, before their minds let go of their carefully crafted sanity, in favor of the alluring carelessness that would hold on that much tighter the second time around.

It seemed that Neji was one of them.

Who knew how long he had?

Maybe he was already gone.

A scream cut through the heavy silence just in time to keep it from crushing Shikamaru. He felt his own chest tighten and it was all he could do to keep from raising his own voice to match the Hyuuga's. The pain was both great and terrible, washing over him in floods, coursing through every nerve he had, and some he hadn't known were there. It was sharp and aching at the same time, and he wanted nothing more than for it to stop. In that moment, he would have given anything that was asked of him for the pain to cease; his family, his friends, his country.

When it finally stopped, it left them both gasping for breath, unable to believe they were still alive. It had been the feeling of all the chakra that had been leeched out of them since their arrival being forced back into their bodies all at once. Shikamaru's entire body was tingling, only aggravating the cut on his chest. Once he was able to lift his head without nearly passing out, he looked around the cell for some idea of what had happened.

What he did see was far better than that; their cell door was wide open, and a thin ray of sunlight stretched from the door that had previously shut them off from the rest of the world. Whatever despair he had been feeling was gone, replaced by elation. He could even forget how close to death he had come at his partner's hand. Getting to his feet slowly; and still stumbling when he tried to take step towards the open door; Shikamaru could _feel _his spirits rising.

Neji, hearing Shikamaru's clumsy footsteps, turned slightly to watch the Jounin's progress across the room. Seeing the open cell door, he too stood up, wincing as an echo of the earlier pain shot up his left leg. Favoring it ever so slightly, he quickly overtook Shikamaru, and without even a backward glance, started working his way down the aisle, and finally, through the door way and into the sunlight.

* * *

_  
I'm slipping away…

* * *

_

**a/n:** Okay… I'm ashamed, I really am. A whole month without updating. Damn. Well, I hope this chapter helped to make up for that even a little, which, I'm guessing, it didn't… Uh, right. –sigh– I am sooooo sorry it took me so long, and if this helps any, when I actually got down to it, it only took me a few hours… –sigh– Who am I kidding? This is pathetic. I'll try not to let it take so long next time, I swear.

**Starry096: **Thanks! I know, isn't he fun? I love writing him! Be sure to let me know if I'm doing it right.

**Lady Samurai:** You'll find out soon! I think… My timeline kind of died a while ago. –sob–

**D-Scribe: **I know I've been ignoring them, it's bad… --;; I'll try to work on that, thanks for reminding me!

**Dameus:** Sorry?

**Angstluver:** Glad you liked it!

**Bunch-o-Nuts:** That's the point! And uh, sorry it took so long again… -shamed- You'll find out eventually!

**Hujin:** It's not a matter of forgiving anymore really… We come into their story when it's already halfway through. I'll try to clear that up a bit soon, maybe a flashback?

**Esther: **Hee hee… I just couldn't bring myself to torture them. Okay, that's a total lie. This will turn out to be torture too, but a different kind of torture. A _much_ different kind. –grins–

**Fuhrer:** Thanks so much! It's good to know my writing's been effective/decent!

**Smoking Panda:** -grins- Naruto'll be back soon enough… Well, actually, like I said, the timeline suffered horribly before finally dying, so that isn't exactly a guarantee… -sigh-


	17. Sedition

**No More Dead Heroes

* * *

**

**Chapter 17: Sedition

* * *

**

_Times have changed and loyalties are shifting faster than the eye can follow. Its bad and it only gets worse when Orochimaru's army makes its debut. You can't know who to trust, because you don't know who anyone is anymore. dark, shonen-ai__

* * *

_

_I woke up in a dream today  
To the cold of the static / and put my cold feet on the floor  
Forgot all about yesterday  
Remembering I'm pretending to be where I'm not anymore  
A little taste of hypocrisy  
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake / slow to react  
Even though you're so close to me  
You're still so distant_

_And I can't bring you back_

_

* * *

_

They weren't prepared when a pair of shinobi burst through a clump of trees ahead of them, seemingly out of nowhere. As shameful as it may be, they _were_ prepared to admit that. Genma and Anko had been disputing the best way back to Konoha, and everyone but Kakashi and the Yondaime had something to add to the conversation. By the time they had drawn whatever weapon they preferred, it was too late for them to do anything.

Kakashi had, the moment he had sensed the enemy, and without even turning, taken an ANBU's katana. Stepping forward, his one eye watching his surroundings calmly, he had raised the sword and waited for them to be foolish enough to underestimate him. It didn't take long, and they rushed him head on, counting on his lack of depth perception to help them. Kakashi, settling his weight easily, hadn't had any problems with judging where they were. The second they were within his range, he started moving, his katana slicing through the air towards them smooth as butter, his following motions dictated by years of practice and a newly reclaimed carelessness.

The blade cut through the other shinobi as easily as it had split the air, the barrier of flesh and bone not standing against it for long. Blood splattered around it, sliding down towards the hilt, staining Kakashi's hand. A second, reverse cut send more blood flying into the air, this time spraying across Kakashi's clothes and skin. A third and final slash, and blood showered the ground, the enemy shinobi going with it, the expressions of shock frozen on their faces forever.

It was when Kakashi stood stock still in the pools of blood, sword at his side, the red perfectly matching the crazed expression on his face, that they really understood what it had been like all those years ago, when the man in front of them had been only a boy, totally and utterly out of control, driven mad by the death of the last person he had trusted and cared for.

The laugh that bubbled forth from Kakashi's lips was one none of them ever wanted to hear again, one they wished they could block out of their ears even if it meant being deaf for the rest of their lives. It was a chilling sound, verging on hysterical, and it echoed around the forest with relentless cruelty. The worst thing was that no one there was old enough to remember the last time Kakashi had been like this; no one knew that if they didn't stop him _now_, there would be no stopping him until he decided it was time. Last time it had taken eight years and something no one really understood to wake him up; who knew if he would come back at all this time?

They were all frozen in their tracks, even the ANBU, who were meant to be able to handle anything without hesitating for an instant. Genma was staring at the shell of the man who had once been his friend, realizing even now that this was not the Kakashi he had known. Blood dripped from the Jounin's katana, and the laughter continued. Even the Yondaime, who had once know this young man better than anyone, and had since forgotten all about him, looked stricken. The blood was running in little rivers in the dirt collecting into a pool of dark, dark red. Genma bit his lip sharply in an attempt to overcome the nausea that washed over him in waves.

Kakashi turned, an unnerving smile on his face, his one eye eerily blank. He raised the sword's blade in a mock salute, more blood pooling at the hilt and washing over it onto his hand, running through the cracks in the leather and his flesh. "Looks like the gang's all here." He said with a pointed look at the Yondaime, the smile spreading to a sinister grin, and Kakashi looked more frightening now that he ever had with the Sharingan.

* * *

_It's true / the way I feel  
Was promised by your face  
The sound of your voice  
Painted on my memories  
Even if you're not with me  
I'm with you  
You / Now I see / Keeping everything inside  
You / Now I see / Even when I close my eyes

* * *

_

Sakura was getting scared. She thought she had known her year mates well, or as well as was possible in their profession. It had taken just one conversation with Ino and Choji to make her change her mind about that. She had known that her own team was disintegrating; even with the training from Tsunade, she hadn't been able to keep up with Naruto. They had been split up for a long time now, with him and Kakashi joining Genma and Shizune to form the only remaining all Jounin team.

She had known that Naruto needed to be watched carefully at all times, because he wouldn't hesitate to run off and find Sasuke, something she had given up on a long time ago; Sasuke would only be found when he wanted to be found. Kakashi had told her, shortly after the second dissolution of Team Seven, that Naruto's sanity was, for lack of a better term, slipping away. He was _becoming_ the job, living for each and every mission, digging into them with a dangerous fury, completing them with a reckless abandon. He didn't take breaks in between, and if the rest of his team wasn't ready to go out right away, he went alone, or with an ANBU team.

She had known that Kakashi had done the same as Naruto when he was young, but ten times worse, and that it had nearly killed him. She didn't know the extent of what he had done, or why, but she knew it had been dangerous as hell, and crazier still. At first it had been hard to think of her Jounin-sensei as fragile, with the way he joked and lied and fooled around, but time, and snooping, had taught her that those mannerisms and actions were _not_ Kakashi. When they had gone their separate ways, her to work as a full medic-nin, Naruto and Kakashi to be a fighting squad, it had been easier for her to see him as someone who needed to be watched and cared for.

She had known that Shino was slowly loosing his own grasp on reality, not throwing himself into his missions, but drawing away from them, completing them only because he had to. She had known that Hinata was fighting her way upwards, trying to tear herself free of the image she had created for herself in the years prior. She had known that Shikamaru was becoming hopelessly attached to someone who was following in the same footsteps Naruto was, with much more frightening violence. She had known that Kiba was falling as far into despair as Shino, but responding in a much different way.

She had been starting to wonder if she, Ino, and Choji were the only ones with any control left.

She was starting to doubt that now.

Ino watched Sakura curiously, noting how pale the other kunoichi looked when she told her about what had happened with Hinata and the Genins at the Jounin camp. Even though Sakura had been back in Konoha for several days now, she had been tied up at the hospital, sinking her arms elbow deep in blood, trying to save as many lives as she could before she herself collapsed.

Finally, Tsunade herself had intervened last night, forcibly removing her from the hospital grounds, and ordering her to get some sleep and spend a few days with her friends in the village before she even thought of coming back. Healing always took a lot out of Sakura, so she hadn't fought too hard when she had been kicked out, instead agreeing to take a break after only a few weak protests. She was beginning to understand how the Godaime had become hemophobic in the last war; one more drop of blood and Sakura felt like she might just run in the other direction screaming.

"Sakura-chan? Are you feeling alright? Are you sure you don't want to go back to your apartment and get some more sleep? You've got to be absolutely wiped after working so hard in the hospital." Ino said kindly, walking beside the pink haired girl as they went to meet Lee and Choji for a late lunch/early dinner sort of meal.

Sakura sighed, turning her face up so that the sun was shining directly on it. She had, despite being, as Ino had so eloquently put it, 'wiped', slept fitfully last night. Nightmares didn't care how tired you were, and sleeping more wouldn't help in the slightest. She couldn't count how many times she had woken up screaming in the past few months. The dreams were always the same, involving a close friend, and huge amounts of blood. "I'm alright Ino, thanks. I just need a strong cup of coffee, and I'll be good as new."

Shrugging, Ino kept walking. "If you're sure…" Sakura nodded, and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other without falling over in the road. That would never convince Ino that she was fine, and she would doubtlessly end up lying in one of the hospital beds she had been hovering over just the day before.

She shivered despite the bright sun shining down on them, a cold chill passing through her. "What're you and Choji's Genins doing today if you're taking the day off?" Sakura asked, trying to distract herself from more unpleasant trains of thought. She, despite being glad that she herself hadn't been chosen as a teacher, was curious as to what it was like. Maybe someday she would be more open to the idea, perhaps when she was actually sleeping through the night and didn't have two borderline insane Jounins to worry about both day and night.

"They're training until noon, then they all have the day off too, to see their friends and family before we have to leave for our next mission. The other two teams that are in town have the day off as well, we don't want to overload them too early, y'know?" She paused, squinting up at the sun before smiling at Sakura. "We already have one generation that's completely lost it; we don't want to ruin them too. Course, Hinata's may already be on the road to that, they haven't been back to Konoha once yet, and they were given the most difficult mission; they get the job of going round and blowing all the bridges leading into town sky high."

Sakura smiled as well; what Ino said was all too true. Their generation was practically a forfeit, seeing as one had been missing for four years, another was scheduled for execution in a matter of weeks, three others were under constant observation, and the remaining ones were slowly succumbing to the stresses of war, herself included.

Reaching the barbeque they had agreed to meet the boys at, Ino went ahead to get them a table, Sakura lingering behind to look at the flower arrangements outside of the restaurant until Lee and Choji arrived. She smiled at villagers passing by cheerfully, easily hiding the fear that had flooded her senses when that cold chill had gone down her spine. Worrying away at her lip, she wondered whether she should go to speak to Tsunade or not. It wasn't like she could go in there and tell the Godaime that she had had a 'bad feeling' and that she thought that something had gone terribly, terribly wrong with either Naruto or Kakashi. As understanding as Tsunade was, Sakura might just get laughed out of her office for something like that.

"Hey! Sakura-san!" Sakura looked up, forcing a stiff smile when she saw Lee waving at her frantically from a few yards away. She dropped the petals she held in her hand, watching as Lee and Choji pushed their way through the crowds towards her. The pair of Chuunins were both breathing heavily by the time they squeezed their way out of the crush of people to stand next to her in front of the barbeque. Waiting a minute to let them catch their breath, Sakura watched the villagers hurrying by, completely oblivious to the danger the Konoha shinobi had to deal with everyday.

She followed the boys into the barbeque, fingers brushing against the flowers she passed on her way in. Ino had been given a table near the front, nicely positioned under a window that gave them a lookout on the road. Sakura settled into her seat next to Lee, noticing gratefully that a pitcher of water had been left in the middle of the table, along with a pyramid of glasses. Taking one, she filled it to the top, gulping it down in the universal avoidance tactic; if my mouth is full, I don't have to answer to _anything_.

Draining her cup easily, she refilled it and set it down in front of her, ready just incase the conversation took at turn for the worse. If the others realized what she was doing, they didn't mention it. "Ah, Sakura-san? Did you hear?" That was Lee, leaning forward eagerly, apparently preparing to deliver good news. Sakura had to smile at his genuine enthusiasm. She shook her head, taking another sip of water, this time because she was actually thirsty; it was a warm day by anyone's standards. "Team 7 is due back in town in just a few days! Isn't that wonderful Sakura? They haven't been in Konoha for months now!"

Sakura just about choked on her mouthful of water. She wasn't sure she was ready to face her moody former teammate just yet; every time he returned, he always demanded to know whether Sasuke had come back in his absence first, without fail. No 'hello', or 'how are you Sakura-chan? I know Tsunade's been working you hard'. And then she had to deal with him pretty much trying to get himself killed every time she had to say no. Realizing they were watching her expectantly, Sakura managed a weak smile. "Yeah, wonderful. Thanks for passing it on Lee."

He just beamed at her, clearly proud of himself. She couldn't have told him anything other than that; it would be too much like kicking a puppy. For all his skill and talent as a shinobi, Lee still had the mentality of a little kid at times. Thankfully, she was stopped from having to elaborate on the conversation when a pair of waiters started setting food in front of them. Sakura just stared at it slightly detached while the others dug in happily.

"What's wrong Sakura?" Ino asked her curiously, chopsticks frozen halfway between her mouth and the bowl. "Did I not order anything you like?"

"No, it's not that Ino, it all looks great, I, uh, I had a big breakfast," She shrugged. "You know how it is, you guys go ahead." Ino studied her for a second longer, apparently trying to decide if her long time friend was lying. Finally, she mimicked Sakura's shrug, and returned to her food. Sakura settled back in her seat, staring down at her hands, feeling bad for lying to Ino. It was better than making her worry for nothing, but she still didn't like it. She sighed, trying to ignore the slurping noises coming from beside her, where Lee was throwing himself into a plate of roast vegetables.

Reaching for a pair of chopsticks, Sakura decided she might as well have _something_, if only to make sure Ino wouldn't report her to Tsunade. She glanced at the grill; one piece of beef left. Poking it hesitantly with one chopstick, she didn't notice the warning look Ino gave Choji when he looked like he was going to try and steal the meat away from the other Chuunin. He wilted back in his seat, pouting and shooting glares at Ino when he thought she wasn't looking. Sakura chewed the beef strip slowly, rolling it around in her mouth with her tongue. Sighing one last time, she swallowed it just in time to feel another chill, this time worse, shoot up her spine.

A scream filled her ears, only to have it cut off brutally by the metallic swing of a sword. Blood splattered on her face and in her eyes and mouth. Mud flew into the air as a body fell to the ground. She was blinded by the dirt and the blood running together. When her eyes cleared at last, the grime flowing down her face, and she could see her surroundings, she wished that she was still sightless. Standing in front of her, wherever (or was it whatever?) _her_ was, was Hatake Kakashi, an empty and crazed half smile, half smirk on his face.

Sakura fell from her seat, twisting just in time so that she landed on her hands and knees on the floor. She gagged, trying to get the awful taste of blood and mud out of her mouth. She was horrified to see that what ended up on the floor in front of her was a pool of dark red blood. And in the blood, a reflection of what she had just experienced firsthand rose; Kakashi looking more than slightly bloodthirsty. The flash of his katana sweeping through the air and the sound of the screams ending abruptly with the second of three strikes, the third merely fulfilling the Jounin's bloodlust, echoed around her, filling the barbeque with their awful images and sounds.

Collapsing forward to the ground, trying to use the cool and solid cement to get her bearings, Sakura screamed herself hoarse for the man who had been doing so well to make a new life for himself, only to fail so horribly.

* * *

_I hit you and you hit me back  
We fall to the floor / the rest of the day stands still  
Fine line between this and that  
When things go wrong I pretend the past isn't real  
Now I'm trapped in this memory  
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake / slow to react  
Even though you're close to me  
You're still so distant _

_And I can't bring you back_

* * *

Naruto rolled over, panting slightly, and let his head fall back onto the cool grass. Beside him, in an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability, Sasuke did the same, his checks flushed from their practice spar. It had been six days since the departure of what was left of Team 7, and every morning they did the same thing; fought until they couldn't even stand, could barely move their arms and legs. As always though, they kept themselves in check, always ready to pull back should the other get into danger. And the Kyuubi and Sharingan were expressively forbidden from making an appearance. It kept things interesting, and kept them from relying on such things. Besides, it was always amusing to see Sasuke get hit with a jutsu from Naruto because he forgot that he wasn't seeing what was _going_ to happen, but what was happening right that instant. 

Raising his head slightly, tilting it so that he could see Sasuke without having to exert too much effort, Naruto grinned. "I told you not to get distracted by the timing Sasuke-teme. Next time it might not be me you're fighting, and we wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we?" Despite the seriousness behind his words, words that Sasuke merely scoffed at after hearing them so many times, Naruto's tone was light, emphasizing the wide grin on his face. Letting his head drop again, feeling safe in the knowledge that Sasuke, while he hadn't responded, had heard what he said.

Naruto lay still for a moment, considering an idea he had had ever since Team 7 had left for Konoha. It was certainly a tantalizing one, and it would work well with what they wanted to the camp to see them as. He wasn't really all that tired… Okay, he was, but _that_ could easily be fixed. Jumping to his feet in one fluid movement, Naruto, having infinite practice in this over the past few years, didn't ask but _demanded_ a chakra loan from the Kyuubi. Relishing the feeling of strength being poured back into his muscles, Naruto regarded Sasuke with a small smile as he nudged the other boy's side with one foot. "Up and at 'em prodigy boy, the camp, and your minions, won't wait forever."

Sasuke felt the tingle of alien chakra invading his body every time Naruto's foot touched him. It was a strange sensation, but not an unpleasant one. It was just enough to get him feeling fresh again, a feeling he knew Naruto shared, judging by the lively look in the blonde's blue eyes. Rolling his own eyes, he stood up without any of the fancy acrobatics Naruto had employed, choosing as a substitute to use the Jounin's hand for leverage. There were definitely certain pluses there, on of them being that once he was on his feet, he didn't _necessarily_ have to let go. He could always, oh you know, yank the blond towards him instead. It wasn't like Naruto was going to say 'no' after all, he probably wouldn't even complain once Sasuke's mouth was on his.

It started there.

Before Sasuke even realized what was happening, they had fallen back into the old rhythm of punch, block, punch, block, moving with in a kind of symmetry that would have even the Konoha ANBU watching in awe, not that you would know it with those masks of theirs. Naruto struck high, so Sasuke blocked high, before bringing his own arm back down to drive a fist low, at the same time catching the hand about to slam into his stomach, also feeling his own punch being stopped, and his arm twisted around so that they were back to front, with Naruto pausing to drop a kiss on the crook of Sasuke's neck before snapping one leg out to sweep the missing-nin off his feet. Sasuke, again using Naruto's arm for leverage, swung his legs up, tucking them against his chest to bring Naruto off balance, twisting himself just in time to use the blond as a spring board and somersault away before they hit the ground.

It was exhilarating and it was fast paced. They had in each other what everyone was looking for in a sparring partner. Sasuke, even without the help of the Sharingan, knew what move Naruto was going to make before Naruto had to make it, and would counter with one of his own. Naruto could judge just what move Sasuke would retaliate with because he knew exactly how Sasuke would respond to certain combinations of taijutsu and ninjutsu. The result was the two shinobi moving in such a way that left nothing to the imagination, they filled whatever space the other left open and did it so naturally that, for all thoughts and purposes, it appeared to be what they were born to do.

In the years since Sasuke's desertion of Konoha, both had become stronger, their fighting styles more concise, themselves more streamlined. When they had faced each other for the first time since their fight at the Valley of the End, almost a year ago now, after three years spent honing their skills, the fight was everything they had both been missing. Naruto had been a Jounin, strong, fast, and jaded. He had been out on his fifth mission in as many weeks, and hadn't had a full day's rest since Tsunade herself had stepped in and had him admitted to the hospital when he had returned from a mission as pale as the uniform of the medic-nin who had carried him in, and bleeding profusely from cuts that there hadn't been enough chakra left in him to heal. Sasuke, Orochimaru's strongest fighter. Having had fallen as far into darkness as a human could go, he had been slowly becoming something a little more. He too had been overworking himself, mainly because his time was nearly up, or so he thought. The day that Orochimaru would take over his body was drawing steadily nearer, and he remained to be the only one who didn't know that the chances of it ever happening were getting slimmer and slimmer as every day went by. Both were train wrecks just waiting to happen, skinny, tired, pale, and bruised.

It had been just the two of them, Naruto having easily dispatched Sasuke's minions before he even knew his former teammate was in the same country, and the ANBU team he had been traveling with miles away, on their way back to Konoha while he had gone to join the rest of Team 7 on a mission to the village of the Hidden Sand. Naruto had been too tired to be shocked at the sight of his former friend/rival/teammate/whatever-the-hell-he-had-been standing in front of him, an equally haggard look on his face. And then it had been only too easy for them to fight, not like they used to, with the best intentions of training and friendly, if fierce, rivalry, but with deadly intent; three years apart had seen too many things, the deaths of teammates, acquaintances, and friends, isolation, and far far too much blood.

They fought with the intensity of all the emotions buried in the past years: respect, broken trust, hatred, loneliness, remorse, pain, and love. It wasn't long until, just as in their last meeting, rain began to fall from the sky. Except, this time, it wasn't of their own making, a product of the power both had thrown into that fight. Though both were tired, the fight lasted longer than most, but ended far differently from the last. This time, it was Naruto who came out on top, not from superiority, he knew even then, they were too evenly matched for that, but because Sasuke suddenly wasn't fighting back.

He had the Uchiha pinned to the ground, red eyes calm and looking right into his, blue/black hair spread in the mud. He had had his rival right where he wanted him, completely at his mercy. And he had paused. And the pause had turned into tears. And the tears had turned into sobs. And the sobs had turned into the kind of helplessness that Naruto had never felt before, something he never planned to experience again. It was as though every awful thing he had felt and experienced in the past three years were all replaying themselves a thousand times over and a thousand times worse. And through it all Sasuke didn't move an inch, just looking steadily at him, no emotion at all on his face. And then, just because he wanted some sort of reaction from his ex-bestfriend, any damn thing at all, he had leant down, face still covered in an odd mix of rain and tears, fresh water and salt water, he had taken the carefully laid out plans for the rest of his life and ripped them up, pressing his lips against Sasuke's numbly.

He had gotten a reaction, but he couldn't have said whether it was the one he was expecting or not, because he didn't _know_ what he had been expecting from the Uchiha. What he had gotten was a soft, bubbling laugh, a typical Sasuke smirk, and himself flipped over into the mud, with the older boy on top of him. And another kiss.

It started there.

It ended here.

* * *

_N__o __– No matter how far we've come  
I can't wait to see tomorrow  
No matter how far we've come _

_I – I can't wait to see tomorrow _

_With you _

_You / Now I see/ Keeping everything inside  
With you _

_You / Now I see / Even when I close my eyes__…_

**

* * *

a/n:**

Urr… Sorry about that… It shouldn't be too long until the next one, but no promises, I know better than that now. Anyway, the next chapter is one I've been looking forward to for a while, so hopefully all will go smoothly and stuff like that… Hopefully things will pick up a little, I certainly plan to skip ahead a bit once again, so that this story takes place over a span of over a week… -shifty eyes- By the way, this chapter takes place on May 15th. And next chapter, that being chapter 18, will take place on May 17th. Oh. Wait. I may not update as quickly as I would have liked. Its exams soon. And I have the SAT to write the weekend before exams do start. And then 3 university papers to write. And then I go away until the beginning of July, at which point… yeah. Of course, I am master of all procrastinators (as you well know) and should be able to get at least one chapter done in that time period… -grins- And this chapter is to the song With You by Linkin Park. I would just like to make it known that the main reason this chapter took so long is that I couldn't find lyrics that fit that weren't already reserved for other chapters… So yeah. 

**Angstluver:** I would never do a thing like that! I think… Anyway, there's more Naruto for you, sorry it's not much…

**Avastar:** Took me a while but there ya go. Of course, you've already read all of this, so yeah.

**Hujin:** Are those hints? Lol I'll see what I can do!

**Tombadgerlock:** Er, okay -shrugs- I can live with that. I'll try to be more too the point… Really.

**Lady Samurai:** Happy? -grins- I share your sentiments wholeheartedly. Of course, there are several other "best" couples…

**Smoking Panda:** Glad it was effective Sorry this took so long…


	18. Wretched

**No More Dead Heroes**  
**Chapter 18: Wretched**

Times have changed and loyalties are shifting faster than the eye can follow.Its bad and it only gets worse when Orochimaru's army makes its debut. You can't know who to trust, because you don't know who anyone is anymore. (dark, shonen-ai)

_Ignorance and understanding_  
_We're the first ones to jump in line_  
_Out of step for what we believe in_  
_But who's left? To start the pleading_  
_How far will we take this_  
_It's not hard to see through the sickness_  
_So tell me what would you say_  
_I'd say it's up to me_

It had been two days since Takumi's accident, and he had been improving rapidly, thanks in part to the good physical condition the young Genin was in, but more so to the work Hinata had done on his leg, which meant they didn't have to worry about the blood refusing to clot, or clotting too easily. It also meant that he could walk almost normally for long periods of time, whereas if his body had been left to its own devices, he would have been unable to move for several days and would have needed severe physical therapy before he could resume missions, seeing how the wood had gone almost all the way through his leg.

Still, Hinata kept a close eye on him, making sure he didn't tire too much or get dirt in the wound. Kin wasn't really much help there, she seemed oblivious to the fact that her teammate was injured and insisted on teasing him endlessly, and occasionally started casual spars that the shorter boy wasn't really up to. Hinata always stopped them before things got too out of hand, having had infinite amounts of practice breaking up fights from working with Kiba for so long. Of course, more often than not she had ended up having to break up make out sessions instead.

Of course, she wouldn't ever have to do that again if the village got what it wanted. Hinata shook her head to clear it of such depressing thoughts. They only had five more bridges to destroy, she should be excited, happy even. She snorted lightly; it wasn't like she had a reason to look forward to returning to Konoha, all her friends were either out on missions or too busy going certifiably insane to keep her company. And she would have to tell Tsunade that she had let another Genin get injured, which really wasn't going to make her day much brighter in the slightest.

It would have been nice to have lasted more than just a week and a half before the Godaime realized what a mistake it had been to give her this much responsibility. Though, Hinata had to wonder what she had been thinking in the first place, considering she had been the only one to return from the initial training session with a Genin down already. And it was asking too much for her just to trust the Hokage's judgment when she had seen first hand how hard this was for the woman. Hinata sighed softly, turning her head slightly as she did so, keeping Takumi and Kin in her line of sight easily without having to resort to using her Byakugan.

Both of her Genins were walking along quietly; and some what listlessly if she cared to look that far into it. Watching them for a while longer, but still not turning a blind eye to her surrounds, Hinata supposed she could only be thankful that Kin seemed to have finally run out of energy. Of course, that was only if she didn't take into account that they were wandering closer than ever to the enemy, having crossed over into enemy territory just the night before. And now she had two worn out and sore Genins that would be even less able than usual to fight back. Really, that was just asking for trouble.

"Ow! Damnit Kin, stop it would you!" Takumi snarled. Hinata spun in place, having never heard such a tone from the polite young shinobi. Kin looked just as a taken back as her Chuunin-sensei, too shocked to be indignant. Takumi himself was hobbling over to the nearest tree as they stared, muttering angrily under his breath.

"Hinata-sensei, I swear I didn't do anything! Well, I mean, I tripped over a root and bumped into him, but I barely touched him and I didn't do it on purpose or anything!" Kin said hysterically, apparently unaware that she was practically incoherent. She was looking from Takumi to Hinata and back again so quickly that Hinata was afraid she might get whiplash. "Is his leg getting worse again? Does he have a fever? Is he hallucinating?" Kin demanded of Hinata, finally resting her eyes on the Hyuuga long enough for them to focus.

Hinata, letting her shoulders relax only slightly, shrugged. "Calm down Kin, I'm sure it's just the pain making him irritable. Why don't you scout out ahead for about a five hundred yards while I try and make him more comfortable?" Kin nodded tensely, but looking relieved at having something to keep her occupied. "Byakugan!" Hinata whispered softly to herself, blinking a few times to override the sense of dizziness that came with 360 degree vision. She watched Kin go even as she kept an eye on Takumi resting against his tree; only when the girl was out of even her sight did she focus on the Genin in front of her. "So," she drawled, drawing her hands up to rest lightly on her hips, one just above her pouch. "I take it your master knows I'm aware of his plan then?"

With a half chuckle, half sigh, the body in front of her melted back to its original shape. Prepared as she had been, Hinata managed not to wince when her student disappeared only to be replaced by a smirking Sound-nin. "How'd you know? I'd figured I had the snot down pretty good, seeing as I got this far." Clenching her jaw too keep herself from yelling at the impersonator, or from panicking about the now unknown whereabouts of Katsuo Takumi, Hinata declined to answer. "And, Hyuuga, you do realize you just sent that charming Genin of yours off alone in a forest full of who knows what? I have to wonder what your Hokage was thinking when she made you a Chuunin-sensei."

"Kin can take care of herself." Hinata snapped, refusing to let the shinobi know that she had just realized that herself, and was kicking herself for it. Damnit, at this rate she was going to lose them too. What had Tsunade-sama been thinking? Of course, the Godaime hadn't suspected that there would be a reason for Orochimaru's minions to hunt down her, of all people. To be fair, she hadn't expected it either. Granted, she was a Hyuuga, and the former Leaf-nin would give anything to be able to study the power of the Byakugan, but for that, he would choose a more powerful victim.

Slowly, Hinata inched her right hand lower on her hip, moving it steadily towards her weapons pouch without attracting attention to herself, she hoped. "And you're right _sensei_, he knows. Oh of course he knows. How could he not with you getting an up close and personal look at them via him. But you didn't know that did you? All you knew was that one minute you were staring into the smoke of an explosion, and the next, you were hearing word for word, with illustrations I might add, exactly what he had planned for your family." He paused to consider her for a moment, failing to take in the hand that was working its way through the top flap of her pouch. "I'll be there y'know. I'll be there when he gives the order. We'll see everything, it should be glorious. There won't be much of the Hyuuga clan left when he's through with th-"

A kunai thudded into the tree an inch from his shoulder. Raising his eyebrows slightly, the Sound-nin turned his head downwards just far enough to measure the distance from the metal to his flesh. "Tsk tsk Hyuuga, those shaky hands of yours aren't helping either of us."

"Fuck you." Hinata muttered, reaching for another kunai in her pouch, gritting her teeth as the other shinobi stood up. She'd missed her chance to take him by surprise, she wouldn't get another. Palming a kunai identical to the one the Sound-nin had just pulled from the tree, she paused just a second so that her hands could stop shaking just enough for her not to miss again. She had forgotten, however, that even a second's hesitation was going to give her opponent the chance he needed to attack. Hinata dropped her kunai as she leapt wildly to avoid the other's well aimed throw. Swearing again under her breath, Hinata brought her hands together and started forming seals. She realized that she couldn't just kill him, as she would need his help, willing or not, to find Takumi. "Doton senbon no jutsu!"

The same razor sharp needles made of hardened earth streamed from her mouth, and, with careful aim, buried themselves at various non lethal, but extremely painful, points in the Sound-nin's body. By the time he had recovered from the shock of this, he didn't have a chance to fight back, as Hinata had moved in instantly and, reminiscent of Hyuuga Neji, blocked his chakra flow effortlessly, feeling no sympathy as the Sound-nin shuddered at her touch, instead having to curb the desire to scrub her hands raw to clean them of Sound filth. Stepping back to admire her work, Hinata glared at the enemy shinobi. "Where's Takumi?" She demanded of him, easily drawing a third kunai from her belt pouch as she spoke.

Turning his head away from her slightly, the shinobi stuck his nose in the air and chose not to comment. Hinata growled softly, baring white teeth as she channeled Kiba next. "Answer me." She said harshly, really getting impatient as the seconds ticked on. Any moment now Kin would return, adding an uncertain element to this fight, one that Hinata really couldn't handle right now. "Just make this easier on both of us and answer, or I start slicing off fingers." Hinata threatened as the Sound-nin remained silent, refusing to lower himself by making eye contact with the kunoichi. Which, Hinata mused, really didn't make much sense considering she had just rendered him absolutely useless for the next few hours, until his chakra circulatory system was up and running again.

Stepping forward, kunai poised to draw blood, Hinata felt a glimmer of satisfaction as the shinobi's Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped nervously. "Even if you find him, there's no guarantee he's still alive." The Sound-nin said finally, apparently valuing his extremities over silence at this point.

"Then it doesn't matter if you tell me, does it?" Hinata growled, swallowing the fear that it was already too late, and that her naivety had killed another. God, what had Tsunade been thinking when she had made her a Chuunin-sensei, it was absolute madness to think that the disgrace of the Hyuuga clan could keep a couple of preteens alive during a day at the beach, let alone an important mission such as the one she had just managed to bungle up royally, and undoubtedly beyond repair.

The Sound-nin smirked. "Foolish, foolish Hyuuga. If I were to tell you, one way or another, I would end up dead. It is in my better interest for this mission to succeed, because not even death would protect me from Orochimaru-sama's wrath now. But you'll learn that for yourself soon enough, just like your fellow shinobi are as we speak." Hinata blinked, the hand with the kunai retreating slightly as she thought, playing the ninja's words through her head again, waiting for her mind to grab onto what about that sentence had made her do a double-take. It hitting her, she looked up rapidly, her mouth hanging slack in horrified shock.

"You don't mean-"

A chuckle was her only answer, and then the Sound-nin disappeared in a cloud of smoke, taking advantage of the half-inch leeway Hinata had granted him between his throat and the razor sharp blade of her kunai.

As Kin rounded the bend in the road at a jog, as yet unnoticed by Hinata, the Chuunin-sensei screamed in anger, and hurled her kunai into the tree in front of her, thinking no one was near enough to see her outburst over her once again failed attempt at the Hyuuga arts. Kin paused in mid-step just to see Hinata disappear from right before her eyes with a few recklessly formed seals. Blinking once, twice, Kin couldn't believe what she had just seen. What she didn't know though, was that Hinata didn't have the leisure of taking the time to rescue Takumi from the Sound-nins, or of dragging two inexperienced Genins behind her all the way to Konoha. She had a message for Tsunade, and it needed to be delivered _now_.

Even if that meant deserting two children in the middle of enemy territory.

The Hyuuga had always been exceptional at making difficult decisions.

_This can't last forever  
Time won't make things better  
I feel so alone  
Can't help myself  
And no one knows  
If this is worthless  
Tell me so_

It is Genma who opens the door to the Godaime Hokage's office, having knocked and received Tsunade's command to enter. He does so slowly, as though he is afraid to see what is on the other side, or perhaps more because he is afraid for _Tsunade_ to see this horrible mutation of Team 7. Behind him, his companions are arrayed, decked out in everything from the horrifying crimson and maroon of fresh and dried blood respectively to the tarnished silver of the Anbu katanas to the brilliant blond of the Yondaime's hair. As the great wooden doors creaked slowly inwards at Genma's touch, he becomes aware that he is holding his breath, honestly terrified of facing Tsunade. Strengthening his resolve with one quick deep breath, he shoves the doors away from him to reveal Tsunade, and Inuzuka Kiba, waiting for them.

"Welcome back Team Seven, Anko." The Godaime says, not missing a beat as her eyes moved from Genma, to Shizune, to Anko, to the Anbu, to Kakashi, and finally, to the Yondaime. "I see you have… replaced… a team member."

Genma and Shizune gape at her, unable to believe this response from their usually hot headed leader. Not only had she calmly registered the absence of Naruto, but she hadn't even seen fit to comment on the, rather startling in Genma's opinion, considering he had only been dead for nearly seventeen years, presence of the Yondaime, her predecessor. Unable to respond to this, Genma resorts instead to walking into the large room, the other shinobi filing in behind him. Kiba stares blankly as drops of blood turn into streaks on the wooden floors as no one can bring themselves to care enough to avoid it.

Tsunade merely steeples her fingers, watching them with expressionless eyes, a sharp contrast to the last time any of them had seen her. Wisely, no one asks what has brought this change about, they have been living in this chaotic world long enough to know that nothing is so unstable as a human.

There is a moment of silence which Kiba uses to take in the sight before him. He knows that _this_ team, the only all Jounin team Konoha has left, is Naruto's team. He also knows that the only blond in the company is _not_ Naruto, and that the only reason for a shinobi not to accompany his team for a mission report is death. But Kiba is accustom to death now, and doesn't even need a moment to compose himself before he moves on to consider the next member of Team Seven.

Hatake Kakashi is not the same as he remembers the older man, but at least he recognizes him, if only barely. He also recognizes that the eye covered in bloody bandages is a special one, or, Kiba considers, _was_ a special one. He is holding a sword casually in one hand as though it was made to be carried _just so_, a sword that Kiba easily identifies as exactly the same as the one every single Anbu in the room has slung over one shoulder. Kiba's mind passes easily over the bloodstains soaking both the sword and the hand holding it, as would most shinobi of his generation, save a lucky few. He barely spares a glance at Shizune and Anko, or the Anbu accompanying them, but turns back to Tsunade, and addresses her as though they are the only ones in the room.

"Well?" He demands, and Tsunade isn't sure how to respond. She knows that if she says yes, she has lost another one. She also knows that it is getting really hard for her to care anymore. She, like any other medic worth their salt, had learned to distance herself from her patients, to allow for a more objective assessment and treatment of their wounds. It is a lesson she had forgotten until recently, but now that she remembers, it is unlikely she will ever let go. Last time it only took two precious people to bring her tumbling down, she doesn't want –_can't let_– that to happen now, not with a war to fight.

So Tsunade does nothing but nod, and consider promoting the young Chuunin. After all, Konoha is running short on Jounins, and there is no reason for the Inuzuka _not_ to be advanced through the ranks, he's more stable than most of her other Jounins anyway.

Kiba, though he hadn't particularly been expecting the Godaime to give in, responds as though it had been the only possible answer. He bows, and walks out of her office without pausing even to acknowledge the presence of the other shinobi, not noticing that he has just brought himself once step closer to being _gone_. And Tsunade doesn't bother to watch him go, instead she scratches a note to herself to speak to the board about his promotion down on a pad of paper that rests conveniently in front of her, and marvels at how much setting an execution date could change a person's outlook on the world.

As he watches Kiba leave, Genma has to wonder what the young shinobi had been requesting of Tsunade, and silently hopes to everything he can think of that he wasn't begging for a mission. He turns his head just far enough that he can clearly see Kakashi, the only one of the company that doesn't look concerned about this sudden change in Tsunade. Genma remembers all too clearly the time when Kakashi had spent every waking moment he had in Konoha scouting for missions to take. Unfortunately, it had never taken very long at all for one to his liking to come along. And by liking, Genma meant that it had been long enough to get him out of the village for at least a day, and difficult enough that it couldn't have been assigned to just any old shinobi, though nothing had ever been difficult for, first, the genius son of Konoha's White Fang, and following his disgrace and subsequent suicide, the genius student of Konoha's Yellow Flash. At least not until he became human again. _Then_ he had had to deal with the guilt. And perhaps that had been more difficult than he had let anyone know.

It is before Tsunade has time to speak that Kakashi makes his move. Silently, as though he is already a ghost and they have missed their chance to save him, the former Anbu approaches the Hokage's desk without hesitation or acknowledgement of the fact that he is advancing on the most powerful of the Kages, and the one with the most influence, despite her slipping grasp on reason. "Hokage-sama," he says, but despite the sama he has attached to the kunoichi's title, not an ounce of respect, or any other inflection, is to be found in his voice. "I would like to request two things of you." Genma expects to see Tsunade flinch at the flatness of Kakashi's words, forgetting for the moment that he is, –_they are_– just _this close_ to losing her as well. The Godaime does nothing more than incline her head a fraction of an inch, granting permission for the Jounin to continue. Genma very nearly covers his ears, fairly sure he does _not_ want to hear what it is Kakashi is about to request –_demand_– of Tsunade. "Firstly, I request immediate transfer back into the Anbu. I believe you are aware that it is a position I am well suited to." _Especially now_, thinks Genma, and can't quite believe that Kakashi can speak so… elegantly. Every thing in him is screaming that this is so _not_ Kakashi, screaming for someone else to notice and just make the Jounin _stop_, although he realizes _somewhere_ that he has never known Kakashi, because Kakashi has been playing at being Obito for so many years. But no one does, and Kakashi continues, unaware of Genma's distress just feet away. "Secondly, I request permission to return to Uchiha's camp and retrieve the Sharingan." Something in the way Kakashi words this so ambiguously makes Genma feel that if he cannot recover his own eye, he will not shy away from tearing one right out of Sasuke's head. He wants to speak up against this, and nearly does, but apparently Kakashi is not quite finished yet. "Furthermore, Hokage-sama, I request the use of your predecessor in my mission." It is now the Genma realizes if he doesn't say something, and quickly, Kakashi is gone. So he steps forward, and offers up the only thing he has left.

"Hokage-sama!" In an uncharacteristic display of emotion, he draws Tsunade's attention away from Kakashi. "I would also like to request transfer to the Anbu, and permission to aid Hatake-san on his mission!" He hears Shizune's strangled protest, and feels Anko's stare on the back of his head, but this is his choice, and he has made it. He knows he is capable enough to be an Anbu, and knows he is brave (or is it pigheaded?) enough to follow Kakashi right into the clutches of Orochimaru's favorite without any further hesitation. He doesn't seem to recognize that he has just taken a step towards _becoming_ Kakashi.

Tsunade doesn't appear at all startled by Kakashi's or Genma's requests, and doesn't waste time answering them. "I will notify the Anbu commander of your transfers and the mission coordinators of your unavailability." Her sharp eyes turn to the Yondaime, considering him silently. "And you, I suppose, would request re-instatement as a Jounin of Konoha? Or would you too like to be an Anbu?" These words have just enough bite in them for the former Yondaime to rise to the challenge they represent, despite the fact he still has no memory of his former life. Kakashi will take care of that soon enough, Genma figures, and hopes that the Yondaime will recover soon enough that he won't try to hand them over to Sasuke, and thus, Orochimaru.

"Anbu." Genma isn't surprised by this answer, the Yondaime had been fascinated by the Anbu on their return trip, obviously he had heard stories of the elite shinobi from Orochimaru or a puppet of his. And it isn't as though he is lacking the ability to serve as one of Konoha's finest, much the opposite, but Genma has to wonder if there is some ulterior motive inside the head of this perversion of the Yondaime Konoha had known and loved.

Tsunade nods, clearly having expected this response from her predecessor. She doesn't know, however, that he is a servant of Orochimaru, that he has lost all memory of Konoha and his service to her. She must know, Genma thinks, that it was Orochimaru that had brought him back to life; he remembers the mockery the Sannin had made of the Shodaime and Nidaime in his fight with the Sandaime and knows that, somehow, Orochimaru has taken the next step and that, somewhere, other powerful instruments are being made, and he recognizes that these tools have purpose as spreaders of emotional discord aside from their exceptional power that was all too precious to stay dead and buried. He wonders if it is wrong to hope that Hayate and his Crescent Moon Dance is one of them.

"We will need a medic as well." Kakashi says suddenly, as though he has only just remembered this. "A skilled one. Sharingan implantation is a… difficult procedure." As Tsunade begins to speak, Kakashi interrupts her, knowing what she is about to say. "Not Haruno." And his voice his firm, leaving no doubt that if the pink haired kunoichi is forced upon him, he won't hesitate for a second to leave her lying unconscious in a bush somewhere just beyond the gates of Konoha, and kidnap a more suitable candidate instead.

With a sigh, Tsunade agrees, showing that she too knows that her insisting won't change anything. She may not have seen Kakashi as a child, but undoubtedly stories had reached her ears, as well as the whispers of the board, begging her to retire him before his mental condition deteriorated again. Genma wonders why she didn't listen, why she didn't see that Kakashi had _never_ been stable, and that sooner or later, he was going to snap. "Not Shizune. There is a mission lined up for her already." Tsunade announces, musing out loud, and distracting Genma from his internal deliberations. "Ibu Ketshi is free, and well trained. He, obviously, has never performed such an operation as you have planned, but I understand he did re-attach a Chuunin's eye quite satisfactorily just last year." Kakashi merely nods, giving silent approval of Tsunade's choice, and the Godaime continues. "Report to Anbu headquarters immediately then, and you will be issued your equipment. Your mission will being at 0500 hours tomorrow morning, you will have thirty seconds to go through the village's gates, and Ibu will meet you at the Anbu gates at 0400 to… get acquainted."

Kakashi, Genma, and the Yondaime all bow, recognizing a dismissal when they see one. They will prepare tonight and then go their separate ways. The Yondaime undoubtedly straight to his assigned room, as he is still a foreigner in the town he once ruled, Katashi to the Anbu training yard, where he will stay, testing himself throughout the long hours of the night, testing to see if he still retains the skills Konoha once treasured, and whispered about in shadowy corners, until it is time to meet Ibu, and Genma to go and get good and drunk, preferably somewhere where he can make a fool of himself in front of a large crowd, if only so that _someone_ remembers him when he is gone.

_What have we done  
We're in a war that can't be won  
This can't be real  
I don't know what to feel_

Neji walks, silently, through a forest of pure leafy green, a forest that resembles Konoha's own, right down to the deep shadows that even shinobi are hesitant to venture too far into. Only the barest of sunlight can break through the canpoy of trees, growing ever taller and stronger, leaving the impression that only if white hot lava washed over them could they be swallowed whole. What little light there is seems to avoid him, and those drab grey clothes blend all too well, while those hated black gloves seem _too _dark for this setting, stark against the muted greens, their metal plates dull with no light to be reflected.

Neji walks, calmly, despite the most uncharacteristic and mindless rage he had been thrown into only three days prior.

He walks without a purpose, because his purpose is dead.

And in the calm of this forest, a calm that seems out of place, despite, or maybe because of, the stillness in the air, and almost reverent quiet, Neji has been walking for three days, without pause. He hasn't needed to stop and sleep because he hasn't really been awake. He couldn't say where he is walking to, or how long he intends to continue, even if he had someone to tell, but even the animals seem to be afraid to approach him.

Neji doesn't remember how he got here, or where he had been before. Or rather, he isn't aware that _this_ wasn't what he has been doing, where he has been, ever since Orochimaru had seen it prudent to bring everything he'd worked so hard to build up crashing down. He has the impression of a fleeting reprise, of someone caring, holding out a hand to guide him, and of the burning, uncontrollable anger that had tossed it aside. He couldn't say when it had been, or even that he wishes he hadn't been so cavalier with it, but he knew it had been there, even if just for the briefest of moments. But this is how he has been ever since _then_, wholly unaware of the world around him, doing as he is commanded by Tsunade and her Konoha, moving from mission to mission with only blood to punctuate the end of one and the beginning of another, until that too begins to run together.

He doesn't realize that he is playing out the life of another with every step he takes, and that the only end in sight will be a tragic one at the end of the day.

Its cold in his forest, but Neji doesn't notice aside from the occaisonal involentary shiver, and even if he doesn't realize it, he is lucky that the blood on his clothes is dry. Luckier still because who knows what kind of beasts the tantalizing scent of blood could have brought running, human and animal alike these days. Not that the Anbu, finally too overqualified to remain a Jounin, in more ways than one, couldn't handle most anything the world threw at him without batting an eye, not that he would even notice one more life being added to the list of what was already far too many for a child of his age.

But shinobi children were special, weren't they?

Well, the geniuses anyway, but that went without saying, because you didn't get yourself _here_, at this age, without being one.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Konoha had a rather lot of geniuses.

Neji knows that being a genius is what is going to get him killed. They all know this, somewhere deep within them, Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi and Lee and Shino and Shikamaru and Genma and Tsunade. It's what already got Gaara killed. It's what is destroying them, slowly, without remorse, or thought for what this is doing to Konoha and Her allies. They know this, and they have accepted it. They accepted it because if they hadn't, if they had tried to fight it, they would already be dead. It has already destroyed so many of them.

Its getting darker in Neji's forest, as what little light there was fades with the rapidly setting sun. If he were to look, he would be able to see barely a foot in front of him. As it is, he doesn't need to look, and so he doesn't notice the day coming to a close. And so he walks on, not stumbling once, or pausing to check his direction.

He is the perfect soldier, able to walk for hours without rest, without pause, and to fight at less than a moment's notice.

He is -_was?_- Konoha's perfect soldier, and he'll walk until someone tells him to stop, because he no longer has a mind of his own.

It is now, now that he has reached this stage, that he will discover what horrors Orochimaru has in store for him, what horrors he will have to suffer before the end of this war, what horrors he will be forced to endure for the rest of his life, however long that may be. It is now that Konoha will learn just how valuable Hyuuga Neji is, because people, -_no, Neji wasn't people, Neji was Neji, Neji was a genius, a class apart_-, people fight so much harder when they have something to fight _for_. And now, as Neji stepped through a break in the dark shadows of the trees, into a small clearing that was lit by the few slivers of moonlight that broke through the overhanging boughs above, now Neji had everything to fight for, everything that had been missing from his life for the past six months.

All it took was just a moment for the light to return to his eyes, even in this remote corner of the world, hidden away even from the sun and moon, for awareness to overtake him, for exhaustion to catch up with him, for pain to make itself known, for heartache to fade, for the most overpowering _relief_ to wash over him in endless, unrelenting waves.

Sabaku no Gaara, having joined the ranks of the precious, precious dead only months before, could have been mistaken for an angel in the silvery moonlight that illuminated him, if it weren't for the fact that not one of _this_ generation was going to heaven.

_So am I still waiting  
For this world to stop hating  
Can't find a good reason  
Can't find hope to believe in…_

a/n: ...Seriously, you so don't want to know. I am terribly sorry this took so long though... Hopefully the fact that it's long(?) will make up for that? grovels Please forgive me! I apologize to anyone who thought I had given up on this story! I haven't (and won't)! It just might take a while for chapters to be posted... Not half a year again though, I swear! ...Wow, that's so pathetic... Anyway, it's almost Christmas break... (my first exam is in, like, 12 hours...) so maybe another one during the break? Hopefully...

Oh, and to clear something up... the generation implied in the last sentece isn't necessarily those who participated in the Chuunin exam (Team Kakashi, Team Gai, Team Asuma, Team Kurenai, and the Sand siblings), it is more accurately interpreted to this group of people in this story, so, the aforementioned, in addition to Kakashi, Genma, the Yondaime, even poor Iruka.

...Sorry again! and thanks everyone for your reviews! (I don't have time to respond to each right now... my exam's in 3 hours... and I haven't finished writing my presentation... Baaaad!


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